A study on occupant behaviour related to air-conditioning usage in residential buildings

Xia, Dawei; Lou, Siwei; Huang, Yu; Zhao, Yang; Li, Danny H.W.; Zhou, Xiaoqing

doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.109446

Cited by 55 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The own study shows that with regard to the household sector, a higher share of RES energy-in relative terms-in final energy consumption occurs in the so-called "poorer" part of Europe, while in countries with higher living standards [92] (Ireland, Luxembourg, UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Germany) RES use remains at a lower level. This may be due to the fact that improvements in the quality of life manifested by an increase in the area and standard of furnishings of dwellings and the possibility of obtaining an optimal indoor microclimate [93,94] result in significant energy consumption, which consequently diminishes the relative increase of RES in final energy consumption. In EU countries, the share of expenditure on energy consumed by households has an increasing trend [95].…”

Section: Discussion Of the Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Consumption of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) by the European Union Households between 2004 and 2019

Piekut

2021

Energies

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The paper provides the analysis of fuel and energy transition in households sector and its sustainable development in the period 2004–2019. The main purpose of the paper is to determine the development trends in the use of renewable energy sources (RES) in the EU countries household sector in 2004–2019, to recognize the state of development and functioning of the studied area as well as to indicate their successes and shortcomings in observed reality. The article employs the results of Energy balance sheets from Eurostat. The research entity were households from 28 European Union countries, with particular emphasis on households from Poland and selected neighboring countries. The research subjects there were different sources of renewable energy used by households, i.e., solar thermal system, geothermal technologies, primary solid biofuels, charcoal, biogases, blended biogasoline, blended biodiesels, ambient heat (heat pumps). To achieve the research objective a number of statistical measures ands methods, including cluster analysis and linear trend indicator applied. In the analyzed 16 years, an absolute and relative increase in the use of RES in the household sector was noticed. Taking into account the specificity of using RES in households, 6 clusters of countries were distinguished. In Poland, it was noted that there was a significant increase in the use of RES in households, with stagnation in the use of non-renewable energy sources, such as, for example, hard coal.

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Section: Discussion Of the Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Consumption of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) by the European Union Households between 2004 and 2019

Piekut

2021

Energies

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“…It is widely recognized that the energy consumption of air-conditioning equipment in buildings is influenced by human behaviour, occupancy rate and occupants' energy conservation practices (Gill et al , 2007; Xia et al , 2019; Xie et al , 2019; Xu et al , 2020; Xue et al , 2020; Masoso and Grobler, 2010; Menezes et al , 2014). According to Masoso and Grobler (2010), a study conducted on occupants' behaviour in the use of ACs and its impact on energy consumption in buildings reveal that buildings consume up to 56% of the energy as a result of occupant behaviour during non-occupied hours.…”

Section: Human Behaviour Air Conditioners and Energy Consumptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of occupant behaviour in the use of air-conditioners in public buildings in developing countries: evidence from Ghana

Ahadzie

Opoku

Ware

et al. 2020

IJBPA

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PurposeThe use of air-conditioners (ACs) is on the increase in the developing world, with exacerbating compounding effect on carbon footprints. With this development, there is the expectation that developing countries would begin to appreciate and understand occupant behaviours in the use of ACs towards combating climate change, especially as building energy consumption is heavily influenced by the behaviour of its occupants. This study aims to identify occupant behaviours that leads to efficient use of ACs in public buildings so that these can be factored into developing guidelines for improving energy efficiency in buildings.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), survey questionnaire was used to collect data in office buildings in Kumasi, Ghana. Partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis was employed for the analysis.FindingsSwitching on fan(s) as alternative to ACs has a path coefficient of 0.527, suggesting that it will have the most positive impact on energy consumption as far as AC use is concerned. The second occupant behaviour with a positive impact on energy consumption for AC use is opening windows for natural ventilation accounting for 0.351 significant path coefficient. Wearing of light or heavy clothing as a means of conserving energy achieved 0.174 impact coefficient while occupant behaviour of switching off ACs when leaving the room came last in the ranking, with an impact coefficient of 0.146. TBP is validated in this model, given that all the four occupant behaviours had their perceived behavioural control (PBC) having less impact on the behaviour compared to the behavioural attitude (BA) and the subjective norm (SN).Research limitations/implicationsThis research focused on public buildings used as offices, and the findings may not be applicable to private company buildings and also residential properties. Given that Ghana and, for that matter, many developing countries rely heavily on thermal plant for electricity generation, the climate change implications of the findings are discussed.Practical implicationsIt is recommended that behaviours of occupants should be considered and factored in building energy predictions to bridge the energy performance gap. Subsequently, project managers, designers and energy consultants are encouraged to provide fans and openable windows in offices, even if there is going to be an air-conditioning provisions.Originality/valueOriginality emanates from the paper being at the forefront of helping to understand occupants' behaviour in the use ACs and associated climate change implications in a developing country context. One of the new variables introduced, switching on fans as an alternative to ACs, achieved the highest path coefficient and has important implication for occupant behaviour in the use of ACs in the literature.

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“…In larger buildings where a higher flow of building users through access and egress routes in anticipated at peak times (such as at the start or end of a work shift), doorways should be capable of facilitating this flow rate of people. To deliver reliable estimates of peak building access and egress will require multidisciplinary teams of academics to incorporate (for example) aspects relating to the building's design (from both aesthetic and utilitarian perspectives) (Aydin et al, 2019); occupant usage (to measure and record occupant pheromone trails and peak flow times) (Xia et al, 2019); and building's type, maintenance requirements and functionality (that is, how the building is being used and any vagaries associated with this usage) (Prieto et al, 2019). Moreover, such work will require substantial longitudinal research projects to collect sufficient data to observe, report upon and model any trends apparent.…”

Section: Practical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation into the erroneous access and egress behaviours of building users and their impact upon building performance

Dixon

Edwards

Mateo-Garcia

et al. 2020

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Purpose This study aims to investigate the behaviour of building users and how this impacts upon building energy performance. Specifically, the work examines the behavioural traits of able-bodied users of a large higher education building who erroneously access and egress the building using doorways intended for disabled users. Design/methodology/approach An inductive methodological approach is adopted that uses grounded theory to devise new insights into building users’ access and egress habits. Structured interviews are conducted to collect primary data from 68 building users of a large educational building over a four-week period. Responses to questions posed provide the basis for a tabularisation of behavioural traits. Findings Reasons for able-bodied building users’ preferences to using disabled access are identified and discussed; these are thematically grouped under the headings of apathy, convenience, emergency, ergonomics, ignorance and phobia. Building upon these findings, the research then offers insights into the approaches that could be adopted to change the erroneous behaviours. These approaches include education of building users on the impact their behaviour has upon building performance and environmental pollution, more stringent regulation to penalise repeat offenders and changes to building entrance design using obtrusive (i.e. radio frequency identification tags) and unobstrusive control measures (i.e. a second entrance doorway or slower opening mechanism). Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to investigate the rationale for able-bodied building users erroneously using disabled persons’ access and egress doorways within a building, which as a consequence, inadvertently reduces the building’s environmental performance.

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A study on occupant behaviour related to air-conditioning usage in residential buildings

Cited by 55 publications

References 19 publications

The Consumption of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) by the European Union Households between 2004 and 2019

The Consumption of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) by the European Union Households between 2004 and 2019

Analysis of occupant behaviour in the use of air-conditioners in public buildings in developing countries: evidence from Ghana

An investigation into the erroneous access and egress behaviours of building users and their impact upon building performance

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