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Indoor Thermal Comfort: The Behavioral Component

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  • Jack Barkenbus

    (Climate Change Research Network, Vanderbilt Institute for Energy & Environment, Vanderbilt University, PMB 407702, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37240, USA)

Abstract

This is a study of how indoor temperature settings have changed over time in the United States based on data from the Energy Information Administration’s, Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS). It is shown that Americans have moderately raised indoor temperature settings during the heating season over the past thirty years. It is also shown that most Americans keep their homes relatively cool in the summertime and are generally averse to implementing temperature setbacks. It is revealed that occupants in lower-income homes tend to set their thermostats higher in winter than other income groups, but that the most intense cooling tends to take place in both low-income and high-income homes. As expected, renters tend to heat and cool more intensively than homeowners. Getting Americans to change their temperature settings in order to save energy is not easy even though it comes with the promise of financial savings. The use of programmable thermostats thus far has proved unsuccessful. Greater utilization of social marketing to achieve energy savings is suggested, as well as a renewed effort on the part of electricity suppliers to work more closely with homeowners as part of the rollout of the “smart grid”.

Suggested Citation

  • Jack Barkenbus, 2013. "Indoor Thermal Comfort: The Behavioral Component," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-20, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:4:p:1680-1699:d:25172
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alex Wilson & Jessica Boehland, 2005. "Small is Beautiful U.S. House Size, Resource Use, and the Environment," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 9(1‐2), pages 277-287, January.
    2. Lakeridou, Michelle & Ucci, Marcella & Marmot, Alexi & Ridley, Ian, 2012. "The potential of increasing cooling set-points in air-conditioned offices in the UK," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 338-348.
    3. Leighty, Wayne & Meier, Alan, 2011. "Accelerated electricity conservation in Juneau, Alaska: A study of household activities that reduced demand 25%," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 2299-2309, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chong Peng & Chu Li & Zuyu Zou & Suwan Shen & Dongqi Sun, 2015. "Improvement of Air Quality and Thermal Environment in an Old City District by Constructing Wind Passages," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-21, September.
    2. Jing Lin & Boqiang Lin, 2016. "How Much CO 2 Emissions Can Be Reduced in China’s Heating Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-16, July.

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