Using the behind-meter data, this study applied a comparison and optimization-based framework to evaluate the energy flexibility and resilience of distributed energy resources within existing houses during cold wave event. Comparative analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of high envelope insulation level in improving energy resilience, identifies impacts of distributed energy resources on variations of household electricity demand. Specifically, a 14.6% reduction in the median value of the normalized load of building group with low U-values, implementations of cogeneration system effectively suppressed variations of electricity load. Dynamic energy performances of on-site generators are evaluated based on high resolution data, energy flexibility of domestic hot water and thermostatically controlled loads were investigated through built demand response model. Results reveal that electrifying hot water demand offers additional power flexibility, the integration of fuel cell cogeneration system has proven to be an efficient energy resource, enabling on-site generation of both electricity and hot water, substantially reducing grid import. The extreme cold event resulted in significant spikes in space heating power consumption. The optimization results demonstrate that reducing the indoor setpoint temperature effectively decreases daily power consumption by approximately 5.0% per degree Celsius. These findings help acquire better understanding of interconnections between energy efficiency and resilience of residential energy-efficient measures.

Elderly health is increasingly recognized as a worldwide challenge with the continuous social aging trend. This study aimed to investigate the thermal conditions of the elderly in rural areas of Shandong, China. The thermal sensation and physiological response performances of elderly participants were examined in their own houses. Results show a clear seasonal pattern in cardiovascular disease mortality, cold stress increases the cardiovascular disease risk. The coal-based stoves serve as the main source of home heating and their limited coverage of the room area gave rise to poor quality of thermal comfort. The analysis of skin temperature for those under 65 and above did not reveal any significant difference in response to different indoor temperatures. The regression results confirm that a colder home leads to a rising value of the elderly’s systolic blood pressure, rising by more than 1 mmHg for every 1 ℃ decrease in indoor temperature and thus posing a greater risk of cardiovascular diseases. The systolic blood pressure value of older subjects rise more when they are exposed to decreasing indoor temperatures, possibly due to an age-related decline in their ability to maintain stability of blood pressure. It is noteworthy that the average blood velocity of older subjects reduces less in response to decreasing indoor temperatures, indicating a weakened capacity to resist cold stress and its associated high risk of hypertension. This investigation provides evidence in favor of improving the thermal environment of the elderly and reducing their risk of cardiovascular diseases.