Energy consumption for heating and rebound effects

Abstract

When comparing calculated heating consumption in residential buildings assuming standard usage with standardized measured data, then the two typically does not fit. In fact, measured consumption may be a fraction only of what was calculated. The reason is direct rebound behavior by the inhabitants. The paper shows the importance of direct rebound through measured results. First the temperatures, recorded in daytime and sleeping rooms in a sample of dwellings, are commented. Then follows a discussion of the indoor temperatures found when calculated energy consumptions for heating were forced to give the same numbers as measured. Next, two small scale analyses of energy data gained in low-income estates are commented, followed by test results on direct rebound in two dwellings, one non-insulated, the other well insulated. These data prove that the benefits of direct rebound are much larger in non-insulated than in well insulated homes. That fact is used to construct a rebound curve, starting from the normalized consumption data gained in 964 houses. The paper ends by showing the effect of energy price on direct rebound.

Occupant behaviour in energy efficient dwellings: evidence of a rebound effect

“…Several studies have demonstrated that lower energy consumption is related to higher insulation levels and more efficient heating and ventilation systems (Hirst and Goeltz 1985;Caldera et al 2008;Leth-Petersen and Togeby 2001;Tiberiu et al 2008). However, others have found evidence of a rebound effect in better insulated dwellings (Haas et al 1998;Hens et al 2010;Brookes 2000;Schipper and Grubb 2000;Krewitt et al 2007).…”

“…Rebound occurs when people compensate for efficiency improvements by increasing their spending (Hens et al 2010). It is therefore plausible that lower energy costs for heating are offset by a demand for more heating-related benefits (ibid.).…”

Occupants’ behavioural impact on energy consumption: ‘human-in-the-loop’ comfort process control

“…Behaviour of the occupants is influenced by rebound, which is the way improved efficiencies are compensated by increased spending (Hens, Parys, & Deurinck, 2010). Therefore, we prefer predictive user-adaptive process control.…”

Energy retrofitting of a typical old Danish multi-family building to a “nearly-zero” energy building based on experiences from a test apartment

“…Different studies [26][27][28] have shown a large discrepancy between the predicted and actual energy use in buildings, where, for example, in multi- family building in Switzerland [26] it has been found that the actual energy use was 50% higher than that predicted.…”