A pre-retrofit analysis of behavioural habits of
occupants in social housing
Paul Moran
College of Informatics and Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway
Achieving nearly zero-energy buildings through retrofit
18th August 2015
National University of Ireland, Galway
Overview
• Project Overview
• Method of Data Collection
• Demographic Profiles
• Thermal Comfort
• Behavioural Patterns
• Attitudes towards Energy and the Environment
• Conclusions
18th August 2015
Paul Moran
Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
1
Project Overview
Donegal
Dublin
Donegal
Dublin
18th August 2015
Paul Moran
Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
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Project Overview
Construction Year
House Type
Mid
End
Semiterraced
terraced Detached
Total
1994
4
7
0
11
2004
4
5
3
12
House Type
Construction Year
Two storey
mid terrace
Single storey
end-terrace
Single storey
semi-detached
Two storey
semidetached
2004
4
3
2
6
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Paul Moran
Total
15
Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
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Method of Data Collection
Method of
data collection
Questionnaire
Interview
18th August 2015
Observation
Paul Moran
Database
Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
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Demographic Profiles
Dublin
Female
Male and Female
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
No. People
No. People
Male
Donegal
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Age Demographic
No. People
House Composition
Age Demographic
1
2
3
4
*SA
SA aged
**CP
SA &
SA & 2
CP &
aged
14-64
only
one
children
one
over 65
years old
No. Houses Dublin
-
1
2
1
-
3
7
2
No. Houses Donegal
1
4
-
2
2
-
1
Total
1
5
2
3
2
3
8
child
SA & 3
5
CP & 2
CP & 3
5 or more
SA & 4 or
CP & 4 or
more
more
children
children
5
1
1
4
-
1
-
6
5
2
1
children children children
child
*SA=single adult, **CP=Couple
18th August 2015
Paul Moran
Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
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Behaviour Pattern-Time Spent in House
Dublin Weekday
13%
9%
78%
Dublin Weekend
24 hours
24 hours
22-24 hours
22-24 hours
20-22 hours
20-22 hours
Less than 20
hours
Donegal Weekday
Donegal Weekend
24 hours
13%
6%
34%
Less than 20
hours
100%
24 hours
7%
22-24 hours
22-24 hours
13%
20%
20-22 hours
20-22 hours
67%
40%
Less than 20
hours
18th August 2015
Less than 20
hours
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Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
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Thermal Comfort and Heating Pattern
Dublin
Very satisfied
Very satisfied
Donegal
Satisfied
Satisfied
3,
13%
2, 13%
Neither satisfied
or dissatisfied
12, 52%
8, 35%
4, 27%
Dissatisfied
2, 13%
0%
23
8
Rarely (few times monthly)
Never
Rarely (few times monthly)
Regularly (daily)
Often (few times weekly)
100%
1
3
Regularly (daily)
18
16
2
8
4
4
1
1
Boiler (Oct- Boiler (May- Immersion Immersion
Apr)
Sept)
(Oct-Apr) (May-Sept)
Water Heating Method
18th August 2015
Paul Moran
No Houses
No Houses
50%
Very
dissatisfied
Donegal
Dublin
Often (few times weekly)
100%
1
6
Dissatisfied
4, 27%
Very
dissatisfied
Never
Neither satisfied
or dissatisfied
3, 20%
50%
2
2
4
7
9
4
2
11
0%
2
9
4
Boiler
Boiler Immersion Immersion
(Oct-Apr) (May-Sept) (Oct-Apr) (May-Sept)
Water Heating Method
Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
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Lighting and Appliance Use Patterns
Summer Weekday
Summer Weekend
Winter Weekday
Winter Weekend
No. Houses
15
10
5
0
22 to 24 19 to 21 16 to 18 13 to 15 10 to 12
Hours
7 to 9
Dublin
4 to 6
0 to 3
Donegal
Do not own/use
Rarely (few times monthly)
Often (few times weekly)
100%
1
80%
9
10
60%
5
40%
12
20%
9
0%
Regularly (daily)
Often (few times weekly)
100%
11
80%
6
60%
13
40%
7
20%
11
0%
Regularly (daily)
10
5
5
3
15
8
19
4
9
2
5
7
No. Houses
Rarely (few times monthly)
No. Houses
Do not own/use
Appliance
18th August 2015
6
11
11
4
1
3
5
4
1
8
1
2
1
2
Appliance
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Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
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Attitudes Towards Energy and Environment
No.
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
Energy Saving Measure
Insulation upgrade completed
Availed of a retrofit grant
Installed energy controls
Installed water reducing device
Switched energy supplier
Installed renewable energy generating device
Had an energy audit
Purchase an energy efficient car
Dublin
Yes
No
Donegal
Don't Know
Yes
100%
20
22
21
21
23
22
21
13
20%
3
a
1
b
2
2
c
d
e
f
Energy Saving Measure
18th August 2015
Percentage
Percentage
80%
10
40%
0%
Don't Know
100%
80%
60%
No
60%
40%
13
13
13
13
11
13
13
12
g
1
h
20%
1
g
2
2
0%
a
h
Paul Moran
b
c
d
e
f
Energy Saving Measure
Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
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Attitudes Towards Energy and Environment
No.
d
Statement
I'm willing to sacrifice some comfort to save
energy
Everybody has the right to use natural resources
according to demand
I'd like to think people see me as environmentally
friendly
I feel guilty when I use a lot of energy
e
Owning a big house is an important goal of mine
a
b
c
No.
f
Statement
Society needs to consume less to protect environment
for future generations
g
I feel morally obliged to reduce energy use
h
It is important to use less energy and lower utility use
i
My quality of life will reduce by decreasing energy use
j
It takes too much of my time to reduce energy use
Dublin
Percentage
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
3
9
14
15
2
5
2
a
2
14
5
3
3
2
17
4
17
3
4
c
11
2
4
2
2
d
e
f
g
Statement
3
3
4
2
18th August 2015
14
1
h
i
100%
1
2
19
18
12
1
3
1
b
Donegal
Disagree
Agree
Axis Title
Strongly disagree
Neither agree or disagree
Strongly agree
80%
60%
40%
20%
1
j
Strongly disagree
Neither agree or disagree
Strongly agree
1
1
3
1
6
8
6
10
8
2
5
0%
a
Paul Moran
5
2
2
b
c
d
5
Disagree
Agree
6
6
9
1
2
2
1
1
9
7
e
f
Statement
3
1
g
7
8
2
h
Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
i
j
10
Conclusions
• Owner/tenant responsibility issue over who should invest in
energy saving measures
• Technical interventions alone have lower impact and are more
expensive if carried out in isolation [1]
• People are willing to alter habits to reduce energy
consumption
• Development of an accompanying programme designed to
incentivise people to alter habits
Sources:
[1] EEA technical report No. 5/2013, ‘Achieving energy efficiency through behaviour change: what does it take?’ European Energy
Agency, 2013 (ISSN 1725-2237)
18th August 2015
Paul Moran
Achieving NZEB’s Through Retrofit
11
Thank you for your Attention
Any Questions?
Paul Moran: p.moran3@nuigalway.ie
Website: www.nzeb-retrofit.com
Acknowledgements
NZEB Retrofit would like to acknowledge the support of Science Foundation
Ireland (SFI) through the Career Development Award programme (Grant
No. 13/CDA/2200).