Seminar on Accelerating energy innovation and demand flexibility for building decarbonization

Professor Ma Zhenjun

University of Wollongong, Australia

This seminar will be chaired by A/P Wan Man Pun.

The growing penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources has intensified the need for enhanced system flexibility to balance dynamic supply and demand conditions. Buildings, as major energy consumers, possess significant potential to contribute to this flexibility and drive the decarbonisation of the built environment. This presentation examines how energy innovation, particularly through solar and thermal storage systems, combined with demand flexibility, can be leveraged to accelerate building demand flexibility and support grid optimization. By integrating intelligent control and real-time optimisation, buildings can evolve from passive energy consumers into active participants in demand-side management, strengthening system resilience and advancing the transition toward a sustainable, low-carbon energy future.