The document summarizes an energy living lab at the University of Otago that brings together academics, facilities staff, and students to conduct applied energy research using university infrastructure. It describes several projects including optimizing the orientation of solar panels, analyzing converting the district heating plant from coal to biomass, and examining opportunities for expanding the district heating network. The living lab provides benefits like access to real data and cross-disciplinary collaboration but also faces challenges in coordinating between traditional university divisions.

1. OERC Energy Living Lab
Jane Wilcox, Michael Jack, Mark Mason,
Ivan Diaz-Rainey, David Eyers, Hans Pietsch

2. “User-centred, open innovation ecosystems based on systematic user co-
creation approach….. “ ENoLL http://www.openlivinglabs.eu/node/1429
What is a living lab?

3. “User-centred, open innovation ecosystems based on systematic user co-
creation approach. “ ENoLL http://www.openlivinglabs.eu/node/1429
What is a living lab?
Principles and values (Stahlbrost, 2012):
• Value: processes should support value creation for partners & customers or
users
• Influence : users involvement & influence essential
• Realism: realistic, natural, real life setting
• Sustainability : continuous learning cycle
• Openness : bidirectional flow of knowledge and resources- multiple
perspectives contribute to rapid innovation

4. • European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) recognises 400 LL’s globally
• Rapid growth in university Living Labs
• “Showcasing sustainability in Australia’s Group of Eight Universities.”
• Growing academic area of research
• University “Living lab” over 11k results
• University “Living lab” energy over 5k results
What is a living lab?

5. Identified in University of Otago’s Sustainability Strategic Framework: 2017 –
2021:
• Apply a whole systems approach
• Lead by example through our operations - Strategy 1: Actively pursue a low carbon future
• Enhance sustainability research - Strategy 3 Support the University as a living laboratory
• Collaborate and be a catalyst for change
OERC Energy Living Lab
OERC Living Lab Objectives:
1. Produce energy related research using UoO data and
infrastructure
2. Improve energy practices through findings to save
money and improve sustainability
3. Use university infrastructure to provide real world
applications in teaching

6. Identified in University of Otago’s Sustainability Strategic Framework: 2017 –
2021:
• Apply a whole systems approach
• Lead by example through our operations - Strategy 1: Actively pursue a low carbon future
• Enhance sustainability research - Strategy 3 Support the University as a living laboratory
• Collaborate and be a catalyst for change
OERC Energy Living Lab
OERC Living Lab Objectives:
1. Produce energy related research using UoO data and
infrastructure
2. Improve energy practices through findings to save
money and improve sustainability
3. Use university infrastructure to provide real world
applications in teaching

7. Academics: Michael Jack (Physics), Ivan Diaz-Rainey (Finance), David Eyers (Computer Science)
Property Services: Hans Pietsch (Energy Manager), Mark Mason (Energy Co-ordinator)
General Staff: Jane Wilcox (OERC)
Students: Frederik De Haan, Xiaodong Shu, Ella Oberschneider, Sam Aitkens, Paul Crane
Organisations: Enviro-schools
Meet the team

8. 1. Optimisation of Solar installation on the St David Lecture Theatre Complex
2. Conversion of Dunedin Energy Centre from coal to biomass
3. Avoiding electricity congestion charges & infrastructure costs
4. Software to monitor/visualise energy use
5. Improved methodology for investment appraisal of energy efficiency projects
6. Socialising energy Use
7. Coal burning in schools & energy planning
OERC Energy Living Lab Projects

9. Successes:
• Bottom up buy-in especially from users
• Cross disciplinary & functional co-operation
• Clear areas of potential value creation with mutual benefit
From Property Services’ Perspective:
• Peer review of plans, projects and policies
• Resource to help find answers to complex operational situations
• Gaining support & understanding from other university divisions
From Academics’ Perspective:
• Access to real-life setting
• Source of interesting student projects
• Access to real operational and commercial data

10. Successes:
• Bottom up buy-in especially from users
• Cross disciplinary & functional co-operation
• Clear areas of potential value creation with mutual benefit
From Property Services’ Perspective:
• Peer review of plans, projects and policies
• Resource to help find answers to complex operational situations
• Gaining support & understanding from other university divisions
From Academics’ Perspective:
• Access to real-life setting
• Source of interesting student projects
• Access to real operational and commercial data

11. Successes:
• Bottom up buy in especially from users
• Cross disciplinary & functional co-operation
• Clear areas of potential value creation with mutual benefit
From Property Services’ Perspective:
• Peer review of plans, projects and policies
• Resource to help find answers to complex operational situations
• Gaining support & understanding from other university divisions
From Academics’ Perspective:
• Access to real life setting
• Source of interesting student projects
• Access to real operational and commercial data

12. Great things:
• Bottom up buy-in especially from users
• Cross disciplinary & functional co-operation
• Clear areas of potential value creation with mutual benefit
From Property Services’ Perspective:
• Peer review of plans, projects and policies
• Resource to help find answers to complex operational situations
From Academics’ Perspective:
• Access to real-life setting
• Source of interesting student projects
• Access to real operational and commercial data
Issues to work on:
• University top down buy in:
• Unclear decision making process
• Match project timings with academic timeframes
• Lead time and cost sharing between divisions
• Allocation of time
• Strategic funding support

13. Some Examples of OERC
Living Lab Projects

14. PGDipSci dissertation: Optimization of PV
• Title: Economic Optimization
of Photovoltaic Panel
Orientation for Commercial
Installations – Xiaodong Shu
• Electricity generation data
from St-David PV installation
to validate solar irradiance
model
• Time-varying electricity
prices for economic
optimization

15. Optimization of PV - Results
Key Findings:
• Commercial (e.g. University) electricity pricing has significant
time variation (unlike current residential)
• Optimum economic orientation is North-east (Not North)
• Savings from PV have only small variation with orientation
and tilt (vertical panels?) NZ’s first solar fence – Aquinas college

16. • Jointly funded by OERC and Property services – Ella
Oberschneider
• Dunedin Energy Centre - NZ’s largest district heating plant
(30 MW capacity)
 Supplies ~60 GWh/year of heat to: University of Otago,
Dunedin Hospital, (Cadbury?)
 Trials to burn wood fuel instead of coal already carried
out– No technical constraints!
• What if the DEC converted completely to wood fuel?
 Are there sufficient supplies of wood?
 Greenhouse emission reductions?
 Impact on the local environment?
 Economic consequences?
University
Dunedin
Heat
Centre
Hospital
Cadbury
Summer Student Project: Biomass Study

17. Results: Wood availability and GHG emissions
Based on historic plantings, more than enough sustainably-managed
plantation wood waste available for fuel in the Dunedin area
(estimates include only cost-effective landing site recovery)
Heatenergyproduction(GWh)
• The DHC currently burns 13 thousand tonnes
of coal per year
• Combusting this coal releases 27 thousand
tonnes of CO2 per year1 – 1/2 of the CO2
emissions from coal in Dunedin2
• In contrast, wood fuel has zero CO2 emissions
(as long as trees are replanted). All CO2 is
reabsorbed by growing trees.
• Plus small amounts life-cycle emissions
1 Emission factor of 2.08 tCO2-e/t coal, MfE
2EECA End Use Database
Current
Heat Plant- Coal
Current Heat
Plant – Wood
Fuel
2018
New Modern Heat
Plant –Wood Fuel
Expanded Heat
Network
2023 2028
A possible
future
University and Hospital
commit to wood fuels
Expansion to central cityHospital rebuild features wood-fueled
district heating

18. Summary
• Benefits – access to real world data and thinking
• Difficulties - working across traditionally separate
divisions
• Come talk to us about getting involved….