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Increased house size can cancel out the effect of improved insulation on overall heating energy requirements

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  • Viggers, Helen
  • Keall, Michael
  • Wickens, Kristin
  • Howden-Chapman, Philippa

Abstract

Stand-alone single-family dwellings are the dominant housing type in several countries. The floor-area of the average stand-alone dwelling has been increasing faster than the floor-area of the average apartment/flat/row-house in England, Australia, Canada, the USA and New Zealand. Standalone dwellings have a greater external heat transfer area than multiple family dwellings, for the same floor-area. Larger dwellings require more energy to heat than smaller dwellings insulated to the same level. Although insulation requirements have been increasing, the heating required to maintain newer larger stand-alone dwellings to a constant temperature can be similar to that required to heat older smaller stand-alone dwellings. Building regulations should be future-proofed by considering trends in dwelling size.

Suggested Citation

  • Viggers, Helen & Keall, Michael & Wickens, Kristin & Howden-Chapman, Philippa, 2017. "Increased house size can cancel out the effect of improved insulation on overall heating energy requirements," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 248-257.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:107:y:2017:i:c:p:248-257
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2017.04.045
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Shen, Meng & Li, Xiang & Lu, Yujie & Cui, Qingbin & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2021. "Personality-based normative feedback intervention for energy conservation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    4. Reyes, René & Schueftan, Alejandra & Ruiz, Cecilia & González, Alejandro D., 2019. "Controlling air pollution in a context of high energy poverty levels in southern Chile: Clean air but colder houses?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 301-311.
    5. Velvart, Joëlle & Dato, Prudence & Kuhlmey, Florian, 2022. "Tailored interventions in a major life decision: A home relocation discrete choice experiment," Working papers 2022/03, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    6. Jack, M.W. & Mirfin, A. & Anderson, B., 2021. "The role of highly energy-efficient dwellings in enabling 100% renewable electricity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    7. Clara Camarasa & Érika Mata & Juan Pablo Jiménez Navarro & Janet Reyna & Paula Bezerra & Gerd Brantes Angelkorte & Wei Feng & Faidra Filippidou & Sebastian Forthuber & Chioke Harris & Nina Holck Sandb, 2022. "A global comparison of building decarbonization scenarios by 2050 towards 1.5–2 °C targets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.

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