Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology for estimating scheduled and manual override heating events and heating settings from indoor air temperature and gas use measurements in UK homes. Design/methodology/approach Living room air temperature and gas use data were measured in ten UK homes built to low energy standards. The temperature measurements are used to establish whether the central heating system is turned on or off and to estimate the heating setpoint used. The estimated heating periods are verified using the homes' average daily gas consumption profiles. Findings Using this method, the average number of heating periods per day was 2.2 (SD = 0.8) on weekdays and 2.7 (SD = 0.5) on weekends. The weekday mean heating duration was 8.8 h and for weekends, it was 9.8 h. Manual overrides of the settings occurred in all the dwellings and added an average of 2.4 h and 1.5 h to the heating duration on weekdays and weekends respectively. The mean estimated setpoint temperatures were 21.2 and 21.4°C on weekdays and weekends respectively. Research limitations/implications Manual overrides of heating behaviours have only previously been assessed by questionnaire survey. This paper demonstrates an alternative method to identifying these manual override events and responds to a key gap in the current body of research that little is currently reported on the frequency and duration of manual heating overrides in UK homes. Practical implications The results could be used to better inform the assumptions of space heating behaviour used in energy models in order to more accurately predict the space heating energy demands of dwellings. Originality/value Manual overrides of heating behaviours have only previously been assessed by questionnaire survey. This paper demonstrates an alternative method to identifying these manual override events and responds to a key gap in the current body of research that little is currently reported on the frequency and duration of manual heating overrides in UK homes.
DOI
10.1108/ijbpa-05-2021-0074
Publication Date
2021-09-20
Publication Title
International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation
Volume
ahead-of-print
Issue
ahead-of-print
Publisher
Emerald
ISSN
2398-4708
Embargo Period
2024-11-19
Recommended Citation
Bruce-Konuah, A., Jones, R., & Fuertes, A. (2021) 'A method for estimating scheduled and manual override heating behaviour and settings from measurements in low energy UK homes', International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print). Emerald: Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/ijbpa-05-2021-0074
