Assessing the feasibility of wastewater heat recovery potential in apartment complexes

초록

In the context of global climate change, decarbonizing the building sector is essential for achieving carbon neutrality. This study proposes an energy-based evaluation framework incorporating a novel indicator, the wastewater heat–energy substitution ratio (WHSR), to assess the feasibility of wastewater heat recovery in apartment complexes. The framework adopts a standardized three-stage methodology for early-stage project screening and site prioritization. The procedure includes data collection and parameter initialization, stepwise estimation of building energy demand and recoverable wastewater heat, and calculation of the WHSR for comparative site evaluation. The framework is applied to fifteen apartment communities across diverse urban contexts using publicly available data. The results indicate substantial spatial variability in substitution potential, with WHSR values (9.58 ∼ 232.29%). Sensitivity analysis shows that heat recovery potential is most strongly influenced by municipal sewer pipe diameter (138.86%) and the number of system operational days (53.57%). Overall, the proposed framework provides a robust and replicable decision-support tool for urban energy planning, supporting the systematic integration of renewable energy systems into the built environment.

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