Variation of indoor temperatures and heating practices in UK dwellings

The UK government is committed to making significant reductions in CO2 emissions by 2050. To meet this target, a considerable reduction in energy consumption will be required from domestic dwellings and, in particular, space heating, which accounts for more than 50% of the energy used in the UK housing stock. Temperature monitoring studies in the UK have been undertaken, these can inform modellers of the variation in indoor temperatures throughout the housing stock. This information will allow energy modellers to better predict the indoor temperatures demanded by household occupants, and consequently improve the accuracy of energy predictions. This paper presents preliminary results from a large-scale city-wide survey of over 500 homes in Leicester, UK. Temperature measurements were recorded at hourly intervals in over 300 homes. Household data, including socio-demographic information, were collected for each household. This dataset is used to investigate the relationship between indoor temperatures and house type. The results confirm that house type is related to differences in indoor temperatures, but this relationship is not significant during heated periods. Further analysis is ongoing to identify how other social and technical factors relate to indoor temperatures.