Abstract
When data on certain variables is not available for the construction of a building, generalized models are used to assess their heat consumption. However, buildings and their associated substations in the district heating (DH) network of a city have pretty different parameters. Therefore, an error up to 30% is achieved and moreover that type of assessing results into illogical conclusions. To deal with it, the feasibility and validity of the heat demand characteristics should be verified by a handheld thermal camera at the ground level. The primary way is to improve overall DH system efficiency by reducing distribution losses and ensuring correct supply and return temperatures, other ways are related to reduction of heat losses at a demand side.