New Model for Domestic Energy Consumption

Specialist research into domestic energy use by CityForm (hyperlink- www.city-form.org.uk) has found that existing models of how people use their homes and the energy they consume are outdated.

In the past, traditional domestic energy models identified kitchens and living rooms as the higher energy consuming rooms of a house. But the new research shows that people are now more likely to use their bedrooms as living spaces, using technology for entertainment and office work and propelling bedrooms into the high energy consuming category.

CityForm’s survey of homeowners in Leicester and Sheffield cross-referenced information about how they use their homes with their actual energy output. Analysis then revealed that the number of bedrooms in a household was the most significant indicator of its energy consumption.

These results also revealed a direct link between energy use and technology ownership. As technology becomes increasingly important to our everyday lives, these findings could impact heavily on how we calculate domestic energy consumption in the future and even how local authorities classify households for tax purposes.

The results have been submitted to the UK Government’s Foresight study into creating sustainable communities by 2020.

For further information contact Dr. Keith Baker: keith.baker@sistech.co.uk and link to www.communityenergy.info .

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