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Heat Pump Retrofit Programme for a University Estate under Grid Constraints

Decarbonisation of university estates through large-scale heat pump retrofits involves balancing thermal comfort delivery against local electricity grid headroom and power quality constraints. Integrating flexible district heating flow temperatures with active power harmonic mitigation ensures network reliability while avoiding costly substation capacity upgrades. Phased deployment strategies must decouple physical thermodynamic performance from broader grid emission accounting to achieve verifiable estate-level carbon reductions.

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Final Year Project

Degree:
Heat Pump Retrofit Programme for a University Estate under Grid Constraints

Author:

Group

First M. Last

Advisor:

Dr. First Last

City, 2026

Contents

Introduction
1. Project Context and Estate Governance Framework
1.1. Campus Infrastructure Baseline and Thermal Demand Profiles
2. Retrofit Implementation and Technical Governance Controls
2.1. Heat Pump Integration with Flexible District Thermal Networks
2.2. Electrical Power Quality and Harmonic Distortion Mitigation
3. Performance Evaluation and Energy Accounting Metrics
3.1. Physical Energy Performance Versus Carbon Compliance Ratings
3.2. Operational Reliability and Peak Load Management Verification
4. Recommendations and Phased Estate Rollout Strategy
4.1. Prioritisation Framework for High-Impact Estate Retrofits
4.2. Demand-Side Response and Grid Flexibility Protocols
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

Decarbonising higher education estates requires the replacement of fossil-fuel heating systems with electrified heat pump technologies. Large-scale deployment across institutional campuses introduces significant operational pressures on local electrical distribution infrastructure, where network capacity headroom is frequently constrained [2][6]. Assessing true efficiency requires distinguishing between genuine fabric efficiency improvements and apparent carbon gains driven by background grid decarbonisation [1].

Electrifying university heating demand creates complex operational trade-offs between peak electrical loads, network power quality, and thermal network temperatures. High-capacity heat pump systems can generate severe harmonic distortion on campus distribution networks, requiring dedicated active filtering infrastructure to prevent asset degradation [6]. Furthermore, without flexible network temperature operation and thermal storage integration, concurrent peak demands risk breaching distribution substation capacity limits [2].

This project develops an operational and technical rollout framework for campus-wide heat pump retrofits under strict grid connection limits. Drawing on secondary engineering evidence, building energy rating methodologies, and district heating flexibility models, the study establishes a phased programme combining power quality controls, flexible heating network operation, and performance accounting standards [1][2][6].

2.2. Electrical Power Quality and Harmonic Distortion Mitigation

Estate engineering teams must implement dedicated harmonic mitigation measures alongside flexible operating protocols to prevent electrical infrastructure failures during heat pump retrofits. When integrating large-scale heat pumps into an established university distribution network, variable-frequency drives introduce non-linear loads that distort voltage waveforms and increase current total harmonic distortion across local feeders. To safeguard campus distribution assets, the practical selection of active power filters serves as a critical technical requirement, compensating for dynamic distortion and stabilising power quality at key substation coupling points (ISGT Europe 2024). In parallel, operating strategies must coordinate these electrical conditioning devices with modulated district network flow temperatures. By incorporating thermal network temperature flexibility into operational dispatch schedules, facilities managers can adjust heat pump electrical draw during peak grid periods without breaching local capacity limits or degrading campus thermal comfort (ISGT Europe 2025). Furthermore, estate governance must decouple actual thermodynamic energy reductions from regulatory carbon metrics, ensuring that power quality and demand-management investments are assessed against verified physical performance rather than shifting grid emission factors (SSRN 2026). Establishing these combined criteria provides estate managers with a robust framework for sizing power filtering equipment and configuring thermal load schedules prior to capital commitment.

References

  1. EPC Mirage: Grid Decarbonisation can Overstate Retrofit Progress in Carbon-weighted Building Energy Ratings
    Alex Melendez-Ramos, Carles Vergara-Alert
    DOI Link
  2. Electrolyzer and Heat Pump Operation Utilizing Flexible Heating Network Temperatures under Power Grid Constraints
    Sina Dibos, Thiemo Pesch, Andrea Benigni
    DOI Link
  3. Non-residential groundwater-heat-pump retrofit demonstration. Final report
    A. Hildebrandt, J. Bentley, A. Ibrahim
    DOI Link
  4. The evaluation of a 4000-home geothermal heat pump retrofit at Fort Polk, Louisiana: Final Report
    P.J. Hughes, J.A. Shonder
  5. Geothermal Heat Pump System for New Student Housing Project at the University at Albany Main Campus
    Indumathi Lnu
  6. Harmonic Distortion in Large-Scale Heat Pump Systems with Active Filters: An Experimental Case Study on a University Campus
    Ehsan Najafi, Andrew Keane, Alireza Etemad et al.

Bibliography

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