An evolution of heat cost allocator application in buildings in terms of equal allocation of heating energy consumption

Most of the energy consumed in Turkey is imported and each year Turkey is gradually becoming more dependent on other countries, in terms of energy. A major part of the total consumed energy is used for heating in residential buildings. The evaluation of energy consumption in residences is getting more important as the number of constructions increase. Right decisions have to be made regarding to variables affecting energy costs in residental buildings because major part of the imported energy is used as a heating purpose in residental buildings. The other way of reducing energy costs is to make provision with code and regulations which provides informed energy consumption. In Turkey, various applications are obliged through regulations to reduce heating costs in residential buildings and to create a balanced cost allocation. One of those obligatory applications, heat cost allocator, has been implemented in residential buildings since May 2nd, 2012. However, the values of environment variables for the flats where heating energy costs occur are different. Consequently, the imbalance of heating energy costs between the flats continue, and heat cost allocation applications are commonly considered, due to issues encountered in practice. Therefore, in order to provide energy conservation, it is a primary issue in residential buildings to reduce heat energy costs, and allocate the costs in a balanced manner. In the scope of this study, annual heat costs in flats will be calculated; distinct conditions of the flats, their heat energy cost rates and comfort conditions provided in the flats will be analyticaly compared and evaluated with the aim of "providing comfort conditions for all occupants with equal heat energy cost amounts". The objective of the study, literature survey and hypothesis is put forward in the first section of the study. In the scope of this study , flats in existing building ,have heat cost allocator application, heating energy consumption rates and after improvements in building envelope heating energy consumption rates are compared. Positive and negative parts of the heat cost allocator application are examined. The building's heat cost allocator application working principle and this system's consumption rate calculation methods are researched. In addition that various national regulations and codes that are in effect for reducing annual heating energy cost and balancing heating energy cost between users are researched and used in study. It is true that heated flats in buildings with central heating system can not provide thermal comfort in accordance with consumption rates. It is aimed with heat cost allocator system which started to be applied in our country; paying as users' heating energy consumption and by this means providing thermal comfort. But different and unbalanced heating energy costs in flats proceed because the values of artificial environment variables are different. In the second section of the study, the necessity of artificial heating in buildings, internal and external environmental variables, and personal and building related factors are discussed, and the importance of a balanced cost allocation is underlined.There is an artificial enviroment design subject as a result of harbouring need that comes from human nature. Comfort term is changeable as personal and subjective. Climatic environment sensation of human body and accetability of environment are affected from several physiological conditions releated to human body. Climatic comfort is a function of heat transfer between human body and its environment. Therefore, all variables which affect heat transfer between human body and its environment affect climatic comfort conditions. In the third section of the study, applications related to heat energy costs and allocation in Turkey were discussed through laws, regulations and standards in effect. The working principles of heat cost allocation system within the context of Regulation on Allocation of Central Heating and Sanitary Hot Water Costs no 26847 and the problems encountered in practice and complaints are stated. The former studies reveal that saving consumed heating energy for mechanical heating system in building can be provided by chosing energy efficient mechanical heating systems and building as applicable to standarts and regulations in construction process. In addition to these preventions; raising the awareness of users is very important for both using energy more efficient and reducing negative effect on environment. In the fourth section of the study, steps towards an evaluation of the heat cost allocator application in terms of a balanced allocation of heating energy costs were illustrated. New approach's steps that target balanced sharing annual heating energy consumption between flats in residental buildings were summarized. In the fifth section of the studythe proposed evalution study was applied on a residential building in Istanbul. The heating energy consumption that occur in the present condition of the building versus the condition when the Standard Rules of Heat Insulation in Building TS 825 is applied, were calculated by means of modeling and simulation. Annual heating energy costs in the flats, and the differences between the flats' expenditures were specified by means of the results derived in the study. Five different suggestions were developed to reduce the heating energy costs between flats, and the costs were recalculated, the results are reevaluated. The results derived were also graphically compared. According to this purpose; Energyplus' user-friendly interface and dinamic thermal simulation programme Design Builder was used in all annual heating energy consumption calculations. After calculations, the existing building envelope and improved building envelope flats' annual heating energy consumption rates were compared. In the sixth section of the study, the results derived thorugh the evaluation of heat cost allocator applications, in terms of a balanced allocation of heating energy costs were discussed.