An analysis of residential energy consumption and expenditures by minority households by home type and housing vintage

Abstract

In this paper a descriptive analysis of the relationship between energy consumption, patterns of energy use, and housing stock variables is presented. The purpose of the analysis is to uncover evidence of variations in energy consumption and expenditures, and patterns of energy use between majority households (defines as households with neither a black nor Hispanic head of household), black households (defined as households with a black head of household), and Hispanic households (defined as households with a Hispanic head of household) between 1980 (time of the first DOE/EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey, 1982a) and 1987 (time of the last DOE/EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey, 1989a). The analysis is three-dimensional: energy consumption and expenditures are presented by time (1980 to 1987), housing vintage, and housing type. A comparative analysis of changes in energy variables for the three population groups -- majority, black, and Hispanic -- within and between specific housing stock categories is presented.