Comfort of Domestic Water in Residential Buildings: Flow, Temperature and Energy in Draw-Off Points: Field Study in Two Danish Detached Houses

Anna Marszal-Pomianowska, Rasmus Lund Jensen, Michal Pomianowski, Olena Kalyanova Larsen, Jacob Scharling Jørgensen and Sofie Sand Knudsen
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Anna Marszal-Pomianowska: Department of the Built Environment, Aalborg University, 9200 Aalborg, Denmark
Rasmus Lund Jensen: Department of the Built Environment, Aalborg University, 9200 Aalborg, Denmark
Michal Pomianowski: Department of the Built Environment, Aalborg University, 9200 Aalborg, Denmark
Olena Kalyanova Larsen: Department of the Built Environment, Aalborg University, 9200 Aalborg, Denmark
Jacob Scharling Jørgensen: Frandsen & Søndergaard Rådgivende Ingeniørfirma, 9200 Aalborg, Denmark
Sofie Sand Knudsen: Akademiingeniør Svend Poulsen A/S, 9500 Hobro, Denmark

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-20

Abstract: There is very little knowledge on the occupant actual hot water comfort (temperature and flow), usage practice, and routines (temporal and spatial distribution of hot water usage in a household). This paper describes the results from the total and hot water measurements in two Danish detached houses. The results show that, at the draw-off points, the temperature of 55 °C is never asked by the occupants, not even in the kitchen sink. The domestic water temperature differentiates depending on the function of the draw-off point, with the shower and kitchen taps being most energy- and water-intense. They constitute around 90% of the hot water use in the house. Shower units on average demand for highest temperature (i.e., 35.5 °C to 40.4 °C). Hand washing operates, on average, at temperature between 20.5 °C to 26.5 °C. Average water temperature at the taps located in utility room varies between 23 °C to 26 °C. These in-depth insight in the total and hot water use in two new-built low energy houses, can a) help building professionals designing more efficient hot water installations; b) enhance the research work on energy flexibility buildings by providing knowledge on most energy-intensive draw-off points; and c) facilitate district heating professionals in improving the network performance.

Keywords: domestic water comfort; water flow; temperature measurement; energy use for hot water; hot water spatial distribution in residential buildings; hot water load profiles (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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