Dynamic simulation of the reversible heat pumps performances in non-residential buildings at different latitudes in Europe

In this paper a comparison between separated heating and cooling vs. reversible heat pumps-based configurations in the HVAC equipment of a significant non-residential building, is carried out over an entire reference year. Simulation is performed with hourly time-steps in two European cities (Berlin and Rome), taking into account latitude-related weather conditions, envelope properties, whole-building response when air conditioning is switched-on or switched-off. A sensitivity analysis is carried out considering different solutions for facades and fenestration properties, and lamps efficiency. The comparison reveals an higher sensitivity of the results to climate severity, windows shading, and inner lighting levels. The discussion of the results leads to assess the competitiveness of reversible heat pumps in terms of energy demand, as a function of the considered options.