ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 93
heating energy efficiency and it relationship with indoor thermal environment as well as occupant behaviour.
The object of this paper is to provide an insight survey into household of lifestyle in Beijing, China,
and explore the impact of their habits – the way of using gas heating boilers (e.g. duration, intensity and frequency of use) to ensure indoor thermal comfort – on energy consumption. It is found
that different households often have different patterns on controlling appliance. It is expected
that some findings from this research would serve as an evidence database to inform building
occupants about a more energy efficient way of managing energy-consuming appliance, and
provide ideas and recommendations to achieve energy efficiency in households.
Research approach
To achieve this objective, a pilot study is conducted – 12 households have been randomly selected
as sample in a community, and relevant data has been collected using multi-strategy research approach from winter heating months, December, 2012 to April, 2013. There is an interrelated analysis, from a socio-technical perspective, of households’ thermal environment, occupant behaviour
and energy consumption in winter gas boiler heating based on post occupancy monitoring.
This study attempt to recognize and understand the impact of occupant behaviour on energy
consumption. It contains five main processes: sampling selection and participator recruitment,
data collection, data analysis, case study and interrelationship study of occupant behaviour and
energy consumption.
Data collection
This survey was carried out in Beijing. Researchers recruiting 12 participants from a typical 6~12
stories residential community built in 2002. The distribution of sample households is shown in
Fig.1.House type A (139m2, 3 bedrooms ), B (120m2, 2 bedrooms) , C (80m2, 1 bedrooms) and D
(150m2, 3 bedrooms) from building No.10, 11, 14, 23 and 30. Distribution of some of the households
surveyed is shown in Fig.1.
Figure 1: Distribution of some of the households surveyed
Household lifestyle and its impacts on energy consumption in Beijing
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