The actual performance of aspiring low energy social houses in the United Kingdom

Abstract

This paper compares the actual energy performance of six flats and two houses built to low energy standards (Code for Sustainable Homes Levels 4 and 5) with a near identical flat and house built to minimum compliance only (Building Regulations). As low energy homes are only recently emerging in the United Kingdom housing stock, and even fewer are subject to Post Occupancy Evaluation, little is known about their actual energy use in operation. The results show that low energy dwellings may consume more energy than expected and the behaviour of the occupants residing in low energy homes plays an important role in determining their actual energy consumption.