Heating Demand with Heterogeneity in Residential Households in the Hot Summer and Cold Winter Climate Zone -A Quantile Regression Approach

Abstract

Heating in the Hot Summer and Cold Winter (HSCW) climate zone in China increases rapidly and becomes the fastest-growing part of urban residential energy consumption. It will bring huge challenges to carbon emission cap control if effective and reasonable energy-saving and emission reduction measures are not taken. This study employs the quantile regression method to explore the heterogeneity in consumer response between groups by using survey data from 1,075 households in 2016 in Chongqing, China. We identify the characteristics of high heating electricity-consuming households in the HSCW zone. Households with larger household sizes, more elderly family members and high-income would tend to consume higher electricity. In terms of building characteristics, a greater number of rooms and detached houses contribute to higher heating electricity consumption. Additionally, we find that high-performance residential buildings are much more efficient for high-consumption households than lower-consumption households. Households adopt central heating systems for heating contribute to higher household heating electricity consumption. Finally, strategies for reducing heating demand with respect to high heating-consuming households are given in this research.