High‑Efficiency Heat Pumps and Building Thermal Systems: Advanced Cycles, Controls, and Charge Reduction Strategies

Heat pumps and other building thermal systems can cut energy use in buildings, but real-world efficiency often falls short due to part-load operation, control limitations, and challenges when systems are combined with water heating and thermal storage. Additional complexity comes from the shift to low global warming potential refrigerants, which can introduce safety and design constraints that affect performance. This Research Topic focuses on practical, system-level ways to improve energy efficiency through better design, control, and validated performance assessment of heat pump-based building thermal systems.Goal:The goal of this Research Topic is to collect contributions that quantify and improve building energy efficiency through improved heat pump and thermal system concepts (vapor compression and non‑vapor compression), validated models, and experimentally supported strategies for efficient, flexible operation across realistic climates, loads, and duty cycles.Scope and information for Authors:We welcome focused contributions related to energy efficiency in buildings, including:• High efficiency heat pump systems, including vapor compression and alternative cycles, with clear efficiency metrics such as coefficient of performance (COP) and seasonal performance• Controls and optimization that improve real world and part load performance and reduce energy use• Heat pumps integrated with thermal storage and demand flexibility, including grid interactive operation and load shifting, with quantified efficiency impacts• Validated modelling and measurement of building and thermal system performance, supported by experiments or field data• Integrated approaches covering space conditioning, water heating, and dehumidification that demonstrate whole system energy savings• System level design concepts and control strategies to address flammable refrigerants safety standardsSubmissions should demonstrate a clear energy efficiency impact at the system or building level and fit within the Energy Efficiency section. Topic editors: Aly Elhefny, Christian Vering Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79809/high-efficiency-heat-pumps-and-building-thermal-systems-advanced-cycles-controls-and-charge-reduction-strategies