Contribution of households' occupant profile in predictions of energy consumption in residential buildings: A statistical approach from Mediterranean survey data

Abstract

There is a growing acceptance that the profile of occupants has a significant influence on the variation in energy consumption in buildings. This is even more evident in the housing sector, where the characteristics of the users of dwellings differ widely from one profile of inhabitant to another, due not only to varied lifestyles, but also to reasons related to geography, culture, behaviour and socio-economic status. This study addresses the socio-demographic factors of occupants that explain the variability in the energy performance of residential buildings and seeks to answer two main research questions: Q1 What kind of variables have the most influence on the household’s energy consumption? Q2 Does the inclusion of occupant profile-related variables improve the energy consumption prediction model? To answer both questions, the study proposed a methodology to develop a set of energy prediction models based on the statistical analysis of real energy consumption data. The method was subsequently applied to the context of the Mediterranean region and serves as an effective tool for quantitatively assessing the influence of occupant characteristics in real building energy consumption. It also offers valuable background information to help practitioners make decisions in the energy policy and building energy performance contexts.