Clawback of energy efficiency upgrades in New Zealand households (April 2020)

Presented at the 5th Australasian Housing Researchers' Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 17-19 November 2010

Authors

AR Pollard and NR Buckett

Abstract

It is well known that both the dwelling and its occupants are factors in the overall energy consumption of a particular household. It is possible to have a low energy using household, even if the dwelling has poor levels of insulation, from the occupants choosing not to heat during winter so that the resulting indoor temperatures within the dwelling will be low. Likewise, it is also possible to have a high energy using household despite the fact that the dwelling may be well insulated, if the occupants are oblivious to their energy use and/or demand high levels of energy consuming services.

The change of occupant demand for energy services is particularly interesting when energy services could be provided more efficiently, such as when an energy efficiency upgrade is made to the dwelling or when the occupants move into a more efficient dwelling. The occupants have the option to take the improvements in efficiency as reduced energy use or „clawback‟ the savings over a period of time as increased comfort.

Beacon Pathway‟s Papakowhai Renovation project measured energy services and the indoor temperatures from nine households subject to energy efficiency upgrades midway through the three-year monitoring period. The extent to which „clawback‟ is occurring within these houses is examined using a graphical approach highlighting those houses for which increased temperatures are taken in preference to reduced space heating.