Benchmarking and tracking domestic gas and electricity consumption at the local authority level

Jonathan Morris,David Allinson,John Harrison,Kevin J Lomas

doi:10.1007/s12053-015-9393-8

Jonathan Morris, David Allinson + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-015-9393-8

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Abstract

Abstract Government, local authority and industry initiatives to improve the energy efficiency of housing stocks are central to national and international commitments to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. To be effective, initiatives need to target homes which, given their location, size, fuel type and occupancy, use more energy than expected. This paper illustrates how energy efficiency benchmarks can be developed that account for these factors and highlights the shortcomings of relying on simple energy consumption statistics. The study uses existing data (with national coverage) and the measured electricity and gas consumption of groups consisting of, on average, 500–700 households to benchmark and track domestic gas and electricity consumption across England. Multiple regression models, which account for 65 % of the variation in domestic gas consumption and 73 % of domestic electricity variation, are used to derive the benchmarks. The actual gas and electricity consumption of each group of homes is compared against the derived benchmark and an energy efficiency index presented. The approach enables changes in energy efficiency to be tracked temporally, for example to assess the effectiveness of government, local authority or industry initiatives. National and city-scale patterns of energy efficiency are also discussed.

Highlights

In 2008, as part of a wider international commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emission (CO2), the UK Government set a target to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 % relative to 1990 levels by 2050 (HM Government 2008)
The aim of this paper is to demonstrate a new method for benchmarking domestic energy consumption that accounted for factors outside of the control of domestic energy policy tools, utilising widely available national energy statistics
Multiple linear regression models to generate benchmark domestic energy consumption show that three variables account for approximately 65 % of the variation in per meter gas consumption and 73 % of per meter electricity consumption

Summary

Introduction

In 2008, as part of a wider international commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emission (CO2), the UK Government set a target to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 % relative to 1990 levels by 2050 (HM Government 2008). This target fits with a wider European Union (EU) identification of improving energy efficiency measures in buildings as a key action to achieve reductions in European-wide CO2 emissions This is perhaps best exemplified by the recast Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) directive (European Council Directive 2010/31/EU) that promotes ‘nearly zero’ energy building, i.e. a building with a very high energy performance for all new building construction (Commission of the European Union 2010). This does not target existing buildings, the recast directive states that European member states are expected to develop policies—using instruments such as target setting—to stimulate the transformation of buildings via refurbishment into very low energy buildings (Commission of the European Union 2010). Existing housing is forecasted to account for 70 % of the UK’s 2050 housing stock, and whilst there exists significant potential to reduce domestic energy demand by improving the thermal efficiency of the existing housing stock and introducing energy efficient electrical appliances (Firth and Lomas 2009), there is a clear need for tools to benchmark and track energy consumption in the domestic sector to measure progress against carbon targets

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