Author(s)

L Marletta & F Sicurella

Abstract

This paper deals with the environmental burdens of district heating networks (DHN) in comparison of those related to distributed heating systems, traditionally based on domestic gas boilers (DGB). The comparison will be made by considering the embodied energy and the energy consumption of both systems. Further, considered that each energy unit corresponds to polluting emissions (such as NOx, SOx, VOC, dust, CO and CO2), the comparison is also made in terms of air pollution. The data used for this analysis are those of Brescia (Italy) DHN. The result is that, although the DHN is affected by much higher embodied energy (mostly for piping and civil works) than that required by domestic gas boilers, the energy consumption and the polluting emission rate is so low as to balance the difference with the competing technology in a few years.

Keywords