Partner presentation: MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
METU is boosting LEGOFIT’s energy intelligence through two complementary tools: a model that predicts building electricity use and PV generation using real-time data, and a predictive control system that optimizes battery storage and building equipment to reduce costs, limit peak demand, and increase resilience. Both solutions will be integrated into the project’s digital twin and applied in the pilot buildings.
METU has already been featured on our website. This second article relates to a specific task within Work Package 2, which focuses on the design phase for both new constructions and retrofit projects.
Middle East Technical University (METU) is a public university renowned for its exceptional contributions to education and research on both national and international levels. Founded in 1956, METU has become a leading institution in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and social sciences, promoting innovation and academic excellence. It consistently ranks among the top universities globally, attracting talented students and researchers from around the world. METU is particularly recognized for its active participation in international research projects and collaborations through programs such as Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. These initiatives span various disciplines, including sustainable energy, advanced technologies, and social sciences, contributing to global knowledge and addressing critical challenges.
METU’s commitment to interdisciplinary education, state-of-the-art facilities, and a vibrant academic community reinforces its reputation as a center for cutting-edge research and world-class education. It is one of Turkey’s leading institutions in terms of international scientific publications and research funding, with revenues from research projects accounting for 20-25% of its annual expenditures. As of May 2024, METU has participated in 461 international projects, including 229 supported by EU Framework Programs. Additionally, the university engages in programs like Erasmus, GCRF, and the U.S. Embassy, generating significant research and educational contributions globally.
METU is actively aligned with the European Research Area (ERA) and has served as a EURAXESS Service Centre since 2015. In 2020, it became the first university in Turkey to receive the Human Resources Excellence in Research Award. With English as its language of instruction and a faculty largely composed of internationally experienced researchers, METU continues to lead in advancing knowledge and innovation on a global scale.
METU also plays a central role in promoting sustainability and clean energy initiatives through its cutting-edge research, innovative projects, and interdisciplinary collaborations. METU CLIMATE (Climate Change and Sustainable Development Application Center) is a research center dedicated to developing scientific and reliable strategies and policies for climate change and sustainable development at both national and international levels. By uniting researchers from diverse disciplines, METU CLIMATE is instrumental in creating solutions for climate change, working with decision-makers across various sectors, supporting national contributions to sustainable development policies and the Paris Agreement, and raising public awareness.
Role of your organization in the project:
METU leads LEGOFIT’s WP4 Tasks 4.1 and 4.3, building two core capabilities. First one is an electrical forecasting model that predicts building electricity use and on-site photovoltaic (PV) generation from the next hour up to a week using live meter data, weather, and tariffs. Accurate forecasts allow electric utilities to operate their distribution systems more efficiently, based on daily or hourly load, which reduces energy waste and optimizes the overall energy supply. Thus, utilization of usable forecasted data for model predictive control becomes available. This one is an electrical Model Predictive Control (MPC) that is centered on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and other equipment (heat pumps, boilers, etc.) power setpoint control located inside the building. Batteries themselves are the controllable equipment that charge/discharge strategically to reduce electricity bill raising from dependency on the external grid power. Overall, this controller aids to shave demand peaks and improve resilience by supporting critical loads during disturbances or emergencies. This strategy is implemented considering battery health and operational limits. In practice, these tools operate as a closed loop such that forecasts feed the MPC every few minutes, the controller evaluates many candidate actions, selects the best charge/discharge plan for the next horizon, applies it, and immediately re-optimizes as new data arrives. Mentioned forecasting and MPC control tools will be integrated with the project’s digital twin and implemented on the pilot buildings
Why is Legofit important to your organization?
LEGOFIT is a central part of METU’s research effort, bringing together experts in architectural technologies, computer science, and electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering. This cross-disciplinary work helps METU address key challenges of the clean-energy transition in buildings while maintaining high research standards.
The project builds on METU’s strong track record, creating tools and methods that enable real-world impact and future partnerships. It also plays an important role in training young researchers, giving them practical, advanced skills to develop positive-energy homes and move the field forward.
Expectations from LEGOFIT:
Given the growing energy demand in the built environment, energy-positive homes are essential for mitigating climate change, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and enhancing the resilience of energy systems. Digital tools allow energy-positive homes to be designed and managed more effectively, contributing significantly to a sustainable energy future. The LEGOFIT project provides a unique opportunity for research-driven innovation, combining expertise in building technologies, energy performance, renewables, and advanced algorithms for prediction, optimization, control, and decision-making.
The project’s five pilot buildings offer critical data for developing data-driven methods and tools, validating technologies, and conducting real-world testing. METU aims to use LEGOFIT as a foundation for future research and development by transferring knowledge, fostering partnerships, expanding research networks, and scaling up existing tools to other contexts.