Grid planning
Building Nova Scotia’s grid-responsive future
How building design, controls and flexible loads can support electrification while limiting peak demand.
Adapted for PB Energy’s Insights archive from David Brushett’s LinkedIn commentary. The date shown is the original post date.
Buildings influence both how much electricity a province needs and when it needs it. Designing for those two questions together can make electrification easier to accommodate and reduce pressure on electricity infrastructure.
Design for power as well as energy
Power-efficient design focuses on peak demand from the outset. Careful load calculations, appropriately sized equipment, coordinated controls and storage can help avoid unnecessary electrical capacity. Annual energy efficiency remains important, but a building’s maximum demand also shapes service requirements and system costs.
Make buildings responsive to the grid
Grid-interactive efficient buildings extend that approach into operation. Heating, hot water, charging and other flexible loads can respond to agreed schedules or grid signals, while maintaining the building services occupants need. Storage and on-site generation can add further flexibility.
Nova Scotia programs such as EfficiencyOne’s Smart Synergy and EcoShift were examples discussed in the original post. Participation depends on the equipment, customer and program requirements in effect when a project proceeds.
The practical opportunity is to consider controls, metering and flexibility during design or major renovation. Building owners, designers, utilities and program administrators each have a role in making efficient buildings useful partners to the grid.
