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Heat pumps are a promising building technology, especially for nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) to be introduced in the EU by the beginning of 2021 for all new buildings. Despite heat pumps already range among the most efficient heat generators, further efficiency and cost optimisation is seen in system integration as well as in adapted design and control for the application in nZEB. IEA HPT Annex 49 investigates heat pump application in nZEB by simulation and field monitoring in order to evaluate integration options with other building technologies, thermal and electrical storages, the building envelope and the ground. Moreover, design and control for the loads in nZEB and the integration of nZEB into connected energy grids are considered. The investigations are accompanied by field monitoring of heat pumps in different nZEB applications and climate conditions in order to relate calculation results to the real operation and identify optimisation potentials. Expected results of the Annex 49 are recommendations regarding heat pump integration options and related design and control as well as real world heat pump performance in monitored nZEB. The paper gives an overview on the Annex 49 project and national contributions and will present first interim results of the Annex Tasks.

Background: Attentional deficits in patients with chronic pain are common and well studied. Yet, few studies have examined the effects of chronic pain on more complex cognitive abilities that rely on well-functioning attentional systems. With the current study, we aimed to investigate whether the impact of chronic pain on attention affects creative ideation as measured with an adaptation of the alternate uses task (AUT). Methods: Performance in the AUT was compared between 33 patients suffering from chronic pain and 33 healthy matched controls. While solving the task, electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded to measure the degree of internally directed attention assessed by means of task-related power (TRP) changes. Results: The results revealed that patients with chronic pain generated less creative ideas than healthy controls. This lack of performance was accompanied by lower event-related synchronization (ERS), especially in right parietal sites. Furthermore, these ERS differences explained one-third of the intergroup variance in AUT performance. Conclusion: These results suggest that performance decrements in creative ideation in patients with chronic pain may be at least partly attributable to attentional impairments associated with chronic pain. Significance: Chronic pain negatively affects attention and more complex cognitive abilities. However, the underlying psychophysiological mechanisms and the role of attention as a source of these impairments in more complex abilities are poorly understood. By analyzing TRP changes in the EEG, the role of internal attention in creative ideation could be determined, revealing the functional relationship between chronic pain, attention, and a more complex cognitive ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]