Investigation of Indoor Thermal Environment and Heat-Using Behavior for Heat-Metering Households in Northern China

Xiu’e Yang, Wenjie Ji (), Chunhui Wang and Haidong Wu
Additional contact information
Xiu’e Yang: School of Civil Engineering, Tangshan University, Tangshan 063000, China
Wenjie Ji: School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
Chunhui Wang: School of Civil Engineering, Tangshan University, Tangshan 063000, China
Haidong Wu: Tangshan Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd., Tangshan 063000, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-16

Abstract: Heat-using behavior has a major impact on heating energy in heat-metering systems, and therefore, a better understanding can assist in behavior guidance to reduce energy. The objective of this paper was to investigate heat-using behavior, including adjusting heating end valves and operating windows, and identify the main factors affecting the heat-using behavior of households in heat-metering modes. Thirty households were measured and surveyed. The factors influencing heat-using behavior, including outdoor and indoor environmental parameters and time of day, were analyzed. The results are the following: (1) The indoor temperature for heat-metering households was relatively high, up to 24–25 °C (95% confidence interval). (2) The heat-using behavior of households has a lack of rationality: a low proportion of households with adjusted heating end valves, high indoor temperature settings, and more frequent window openings. Improving indoor comfort is the main reason for households to adjust heating end valves, accounting for 79% (95% confidence interval, CI: 71–87%). “Thermostat control valve does not work” is the main reason for households without adjustment, accounting for 63% (95% confidence interval, CI: 53–72%). (3) Time of day and indoor temperature affect active households’ willingness to adjust heating end valves. Time of day, indoor temperature, and outdoor temperature have impacts on opening windows during heating periods.

Keywords: heat metering; heat-using behavior; thermal comfort; heating end valve; operating window (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/20/15149/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/20/15149/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:20:p:15149-:d:1265181

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().