Demand response events in district heating: Results from field tests in a university building

•Demand response events varied inlet water temperature in a district heating network.•Eleven different scenarios tested in a Wing of a university building.•Inlet water temperature variations did not push indoor temperatures beyond comfort limits.•Occupant comfort was not greatly impacted demand response events. Demand side management will play a major role in future energy systems. However, while they have been explored in some depth for electricity grids, a similar progress has not been made for district heating networks (DHN). To this end, the current work field-tested the effect of demand side management, in the form of price based, demand response (DR) events, in the DHN catering to a university building. Responding to variations in a pricing model, the temperature of inlet water was varied from the heating water substation. Using combinations of parameters, 11 different DR scenarios were executed. To gauge the effect of the DR interventions, inlet water temperature, room air temperature, and occupant satisfaction were monitored. Depending on the constraints imposed, significant variations in the inlet water temperature and peaks and drops in the room air temperature were noted. The different DR scenarios did not greatly alter occupant satisfaction levels. The study was able to provide useful data from field tests of DR events in a DHN. The data also showed that price based DR events may be triggered and executed without significantly impacting occupant satisfaction with thermal comfort of the premises.