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
ISSN: 2398-4708
Article publication date: 20 September 2021
Issue publication date: 8 March 2023
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.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express gratitude to the anonymous housing association that provided access to the dwellings, as well as additional financial support for the monitoring equipment used.
Citation
Bruce-Konuah, A., Jones, R.V. and Fuertes, A. (2023), "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, Vol. 41 No. 1, pp. 25-44. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBPA-05-2021-0074
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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