When planning domestic hot water (DHW) systems in special occupancy structures such as hotels, hospitals, or sports facilities, there is a balance to be struck between the efficient use of resources and ensuring supply. Industry guidelines and standards typically recommend that planners overestimate supply needs in uncertain situations, which can result in reduced efficiency, higher costs, and lower sustainability.

Performance vs. Sustainability: Conflicting objectives
DHW systems must provide reliable water flow, even at peak times, for instance during a tournament in a sports facility. At the same time, energy requirements in building technology must be minimized, and systems designed to be as sustainable and cost-effective as possible.

Highly fluctuating usage profiles
The type and duration of water usage depends not only on the building type but also on variations within the building itself. This makes general assumptions difficult.

Standardized oversizing results in higher costs
Standards and guidelines tend to make generous assumptions about the maximum water requirement, resulting in oversized systems that are inefficient and expensive to operate.

This is where the TA-DTE-XL research project comes in. The project was launched by the Institute for Solar Energy Research (ISFH) together with TRIOVEGA and industrial partner Viega, among others. The team aimed to investigate how actual, measured usage data could be evaluated to optimize DHW system sizing based on real demand – making systems more energy-efficient without compromising performance for the end user.

Recording and evaluation
Over a period of four years, the tap flow rates of ca. 50 large properties were recorded in detail. Several hundred million data points were then evaluated by TRIOVEGA’s data scientists using various methods.

The result
The 60-second averaging interval typically recommended in industry standards and guidelines is too long, as demand peaks are often much shorter. TRIOVEGA identified 10-second intervals as the ideal compromise between accuracy and manageability in analysis.

The benefits
This more nuanced view of usage showed that the difference between a performance level of 99.9% and 99% would only be noticeable in rare cases. As DHW systems rarely operate at maximum demand (where it is least energy-efficient), the system can be significantly downsized.

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Viega benefits from the research results on multiple levels – both in product development and in customer communication:

More efficient products through better data

With the knowledge of real usage patterns, DHW systems can be tailored even more precisely to actual customers needs, supported by individual simulations in the planning process.

Supporting evidence in planning

The scientifically sound results of the study provide a robust evidence for discussions with building owners, planners, or authorities, allowing justification for smaller, more efficient solutions.

Differentiation in the market through data-based planning expertise

With the support of TRIOVEGA, Viega clearly stands out from the competition: Instead of standardized designs, the innovative manufacturer meets the highest standards of sustainability and cost-effectiveness.