District heating (DH) systems have evolved from steam-based heat transport using boilers to combined heat and power (CHP) generation, and more recently to low-temperature heat supply using heat pumps (HP). As DH systems represent a critical energy infrastructure in Nordic regions, it is essential to examine their performance in the context of urban energy transitions. This study investigates exergy consumption in representative archetypes of DH system by developing a parametric model that quantifies the exergy balance across three subsystems: heat generation, heat transfer, and heat exchange within buildings. The results of the parametric analysis indicate that exergy consumption associated with pumping is a more significant contributor to overall exergy balance than the exergy loss through heat dissipation. Specifically, the analysis reveals that the exergy input required for pumps consistently exceeds that required for heat generation. The key finding is that the heat transfer process, particularly the pumping operation, constitutes the primary source of exergy loss in DH systems, underscoring the importance of optimizing this component to enhance overall system efficiency.