Industry Workshop – Digitalisation of District Heating & Cooling

IEA DHC Annex TS9 aims to advance the digitalisation of district heating by fostering international collaboration, sharing research, and defining future R&D priorities. It seeks to accelerate innovation and develop strategic roadmaps for smarter, more efficient heating systems. Join to connect with leading experts and directly influence the future direction of digital district heating.

Why Attend?

• Gain practical insights from implemented digital solutions
• Understand standards and frameworks shaping the industry
• Discuss key challenges with experts and peers and help define priorities for future DHC digitalisation
• Build impactful collaborations and shape research and innovation roadmaps

Workshop Overview

Date: December 1, 2026
Location: AIT Austrian Institute of Technolgy, Giefinggasse 2, 1210 Vienna, Austria 
Format: 3 focused, interactive sessions, each combining short, high-impact presentations with panel discussions

• 1 overview of ongoing research activities (10 minutes)
• 3 expert presentations (10 minutes each)
• 1 panel discussion (35 minutes)

The workshop is organised as a hybrid event, enabling both in-person and online participation.

Registration: LINK

Agenda at a Glance

Topics in Depth

Digitalisation is increasingly shaping the future of district heating and cooling (DHC), enabling more efficient, flexible, and low-carbon energy systems through better use of data and advanced analytics. This workshop brings together key industry stakeholders to explore how regulatory frameworks, technical standards, and practical experience can support the effective implementation of digital solutions across the DHC value chain. Through focused sessions and discussion, participants will identify common challenges, share best practices, and define priorities for accelerating digital transformation in the sector.

Session 1: Requirements and Practical Experience with Digitalisation in DHC

Digitalisation in DHC has moved from pilot concepts to a growing number of real-world implementations, demonstrating clear benefits in efficiency, flexibility, and integration of renewable energy sources. At the same time, utilities are facing practical challenges in deploying and scaling these solutions, ranging from infrastructure investments to organisational transformation and data utilisation capabilities. Experience from existing projects shows that digitalisation is not only about installing sensors or platforms, but about creating an end-to-end system that converts data into actionable insights, operational improvements, and new services. For DHC utilities, understanding both the technical requirements and the lessons learned from implemented use cases is essential to define realistic digitalisation roadmaps and maximise return on investment.

Topics:

• Infrastructure and system requirements: Deployment of smart meters, sensors, and communication networks, combined with central data platforms and control capabilities (including return channels for real-time operation)
• Organisational and capability challenges: Need for new skills, data-driven workflows, and clear definition of objectives and KPIs to translate digitalisation into tangible value
• Implementation barriers and lessons learned: Investment costs, regulatory constraints, and the importance of phased roll-out (starting with high-impact use cases and scaling over time)

Session 2: Standards for Digitalised DHC

As digitalisation progresses across DHC systems, the lack of harmonised data models and interoperable interfaces is emerging as a critical bottleneck for scaling solutions and enabling collaboration across the value chain. Modern DHC systems increasingly rely on the integration of heterogeneous infrastructures (e.g., SCADA systems, IoT devices, cloud platforms, and analytics tools) which must exchange data seamlessly. However, current implementations are often fragmented, with proprietary protocols and inconsistent data structures limiting integration and innovation. For service providers, aggregators, and DHC utilities, establishing common standards for data models and APIs is therefore essential to ensure interoperability, reduce integration costs, and enable new digital services that leverage system-wide data.

Topics:

• Standardised data models and semantic frameworks: Defining common ontologies and asset representations (e.g., for networks, substations, buildings, and demand profiles) to ensure consistent interpretation and integration of data across platforms
• Open APIs and data exchange interfaces: Designing secure, scalable API frameworks to enable real-time data sharing between utilities, service providers, and aggregators, including integration with ERP systems and cloud platforms
• Protocol harmonisation and device interoperability: Addressing integration of diverse field devices (meters, controllers, sensors) using standard communica-tion protocols (e.g., Modbus, IoT communication layers) and multi-network connectivity
• Interoperability and scalability requirements: Ensuring that standardisation supports cross-vendor compatibility and future system expansion (e.g., digital twins, AI)

Session 3: National Data Strategies for Digitalised DHC

The transition toward digitally enabled DHC systems requires support from national data strategies that balance regulatory requirements, system optimisation needs, and market innovation. Increasing deployment of smart meters and IoT devices is generating large volumes of high-resolution operational and consumption data across the value chain, while EU policies such as the Energy Efficiency Directive mandate remote readability and frequent data access to empower consumers and improve system efficiency. At the same time, data is subject to GDPR constraints, creating tensions between privacy protection and the need for advanced analytics, demand-side management, and integration of renewable energy sources. For regulators, legislators, and utilities, the key challenge is therefore to define frameworks that enable secure, interoperable, and value-driven data use while supporting decarbonisation and innovation in the DHC sector.

Topics:

• Regulatory frameworks and GDPR interpretation: Clarifying legal bases for frequent smart meter data use (public interest vs. consent), national implementations, and alignment between energy and data protection policies
• Data ownership, access, and sharing models: Defining roles and rights for utilities, service providers, and aggregators, including conditions for third-party data access and cross-sector data exchange
• Data infrastructure and cybersecurity strategy: Ensuring secure communication networks, cloud/data platforms, and compliance with cybersecurity obligations for critical energy infrastructure