Developing Indoor Temperature Profiles of Albanian Homes for Baseline Energy Models in Relation to Contextual Factors

Jonida Murataj, Rajat Gupta and Fergus Nicol
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Jonida Murataj: School of Architecture, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
Rajat Gupta: Low Carbon Building Group, Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
Fergus Nicol: School of Architecture, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-23

Abstract: Oversimplifying occupant behaviour using static and standard schedules has been identified as a limitation of building energy simulation tools. This paper describes the use of hierarchical cluster analysis to establish the most typical indoor temperature profiles of Albanian dwellings based on monitored indoor temperatures in winter and summer, along with building and occupant surveys undertaken in 49 randomly selected dwellings in Tirana. Three statistically different profiles were developed for each summer and winter, indicating that homes are used in different ways, as well as revealing possible comfort requirements. Furthermore, statistical analysis was undertaken to determine the strength of the association between the clusters and contextual factors related to the building, household, and occupancy. A statistically significant association was found between the presence of children and the clusters in winter, suggesting that families with dependents use more energy. Building-related factors including building type, building age, and wall insulation were found to be statistically significantly associated with clusters in summer. These profiles could provide more accurate outcomes of energy consumption of Albanian homes and energy savings from retrofits. They could also facilitate the development of low-energy strategies and policies for specific households.

Keywords: occupant behaviour; indoor temperature profiles; cluster analysis; energy modelling (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: 2022
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