Technology used in conjunction with well-insulated homes, rather than as a bolt-on technology. The report listed the importance of a fabric-first approach as the first in its list of operational recommendations.
Net zero homes were generally found to have performed positively, with residents reporting higher levels of thermal comfort, while sensor data showed stable indoor temperatures alongside relatively low energy use. Net zero and standard newbuild homes were found to record the highest satisfaction levels, typically recording a comfort score of 8-10 out of 10. Existing and older housing stock reported much more variation, including the lowest comfort scores of the study.
Affordability was also found to have a strong influence on resident behaviour. Cool and warm homes rarely have the same underlying cause, and a combination of behavioural sensor data is needed to find a comprehensive view of a home and how it performs. The distinction requires thorough research and cross-referenced data to establish, but without it landlords risk a one-dimensional view of both how homes are performing and the lives of the residents living in them. The behavioural research also found considerable use of coping strategies such as additional clothing, blankets and hotwater bottles, although these practices varied substantially between households.
Recommendations
The final conclusion of the report showed the benefits of monitored and contextual data when used in tandem, monitored data can give the what and contextual data the why. The report advocated for a more strategic, large scale research effort with a similar methodology, gathering statistical data from a larger housing stock and using case studies within the broader group to provide detailed monitoring and evaluation to identify causality.
A number of operational recommendations came from the research, including prioritizing a fabric-first approach for existing homes, identifying and supporting homes found to be rationing heat, and addressing hot water and appliance efficiency alongside space heating.
A number of wider policy implications were also identified. The first is the importance of environmental and energy monitoring, which gives valuable insight into the practicalities and everyday effects of policy initiatives and resultant changes in standards and regulations. There is also a profound gap between projected levels of performance in the design stage and in everyday use. Policy targets and objectives can only be reached by homes that can function in an everyday environment rather than an idealised one, and research should seek to understand and quantify the practicalities of performance mapped before homes are lived in. Regulation and standards should be driven by in-use, rather and expected performance. Consideration should be given to elements of control, usability and information as critical drivers for performance.
Although the report faced difficulty with gathering data to the detail intended, it is also adamant of the benefits provided by both net zero improvement and environmental sensors in providing evidence for their performance. The North Lanarkshire case study suggests that high-quality building fabric, heat pumps, solar PV and battery storage can produce homes with good thermal comfort and relatively low energy use. But it also demonstrates that technology alone is not the answer. Poor building fabric can undermine low-carbon heating, household circumstances can drive energy consumption, and residents need appropriate information and support to operate new systems effectively.
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