A Review on Domestic Hot Water Consumption in Social Housing

Abstract

Studying the resource consumption of a social housing community is very important due to the large-scale aspect of such programs and interventions. Despite the importance of domestic hot water consumption in social housing communities, it has never been specifically reviewed. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review on that topic to serve as a reference for future studies and projects. The topic was found to be approached differently across the world due to climate, cultural, and construction particularities. A great effort to associate solar-based hot water solutions with social housing was also found, particularly in places of high solar irradiance. Quantitative case studies were analyzed and compared, showing that domestic hot water consumption varies within every study, but not as much when comparing averages from different studies. Regarding factors that influence domestic hot water consumption, user behavior clearly plays a significant role, especially concerning the lack of information to the users on the available hot water system and its operation. Finally, the DHWC profiles and patterns available in the literature present similarities such as peaks in the mornings and evenings, and seasonal variations with less use in warmer periods.