Exploring the flexibility potential of office building with air-to-water heat pumps in the Mediterranean climate

Buildings account for a significant share of energy consumption, making heat pumps and renewable energy key solutions for decarbonization. However, the variability of renewables poses challenges to grid stability and reliability. In this context, heat pumps, when coupled with other renewable systems, offer substantial potential for demand response programs by modulating their electricity consumption according to external signals such as energy prices and grid constraints. This study investigates the potential of demand response programs in tertiary sector building. A dynamic simulation was conducted in TRNSYS, accurately modeling building envelopes with different insulation levels, the multi-stage heat pump, the photovoltaic-battery system and their integrated controls. The analysis evaluates both price-based and photovoltaic-driven demand response strategies by dynamically and statically varying the temperature setpoints of the thermal zones and the thermal energy storage. Four strategies are assessed against a reference scenario, and their impacts on electricity consumption and human comfort are evaluated. The most effective demand response approach is achieved by combining thermal energy storage setpoint adjustments with the enhanced insulation configuration and night-time ventilation, increasing annual acceptable thermal comfort to 81.22% and reducing annual electricity consumption by up to 28.22%. When coupled with a photovoltaic-battery system, the interaction between on-site solar generation and optimized thermal loads further enhances grid benefits, achieving a reduction in annual electricity drawn from the grid of up to 59.89%. These findings demonstrate the potential of integrated solutions for grid flexibility with limited comfort impacts.