The influence of user behaviour on energy use in old dwellings: case-study analysis of a social housing neighbourhood

Taking user behaviour into account to predict the real energy use and possible savings in houses, remains a challenge of huge importance for the Belgian social housing sector, which owns large buildings stocks in urgent need of refurbishment. Within this context, a case-study analysis was carried out on 36 (nearly) identical social houses from a single neighbourhood, dating from the sixties. Information on user behaviour, indoor air quality and thermal comfort was gathered both through in-situ measurements and through surveys of the inhabitants. Furthermore, air tightness and heat flux measurements aimed at increasing the accurate knowledge of the buildings’ characteristics and data on real energy use were gathered. This paper presents some findings from this case study, focusing on the energy use for heating. The huge differences in energy use observed between households on the one hand and between theoretic EPBD-calculations and real measurements on the other hand are investigated. The findings from the measurements and the surveys are implemented in an improved multi-zone quasi-steady state calculation code reaching much better correlations with the real energy figures. This illustrates the influence of some behavioural parameters and the usefulness of both sources of information: surveys and measurements. Remaining causes of discrepancies are further reported