The shape of warmth: temperature profiles in living rooms
Abstract
The most commonly used family of models in representing the UK building stock, BREDEM (the Building Research Establishment Domestic Energy Models), assume that all homes exhibit the same heating pattern and hence can be expected to have similar temperature profiles over the course of a day. The presented research shows that homes differ significantly in their respective temperature profile over the course of the day. A cluster analysis performed on temperature data from 275 living rooms in English homes over three winter months resulted in four different clusters of temperature profiles. The clusters differ significantly in their shape, as revealed by visual inspection, and supported by significant differences in minimum and maximum temperatures and temperature variability across the day. About 40% of homes showed a bimodal temperature pattern as assumed under BREDEM. However, the remaining 60% showed very different profiles. These findings challenge the assumption that one standard pattern fits all homes. Different temperature demand profiles have important implications for future peak power demands, particularly if domestic space heating is switched to electricity. It is also helpful for relating occupant demographics to appropriate forms of fabric retrofit.
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The temperature set-point variation analysis presented in three of the six observational studies showed that, in normal settings, people predominantly prefer higher temperatures in the evening compared to other times of the day.
“The temperature set-point variation analysis presented in three of the six studies [79,80] showed that, in normal settings, people predominantly prefer higher temperatures in the evening compared to other times of the day.”
From Human thermal perception and time of day: A review (2021) · cites this paper as [80]
Huebner and colleagues found different temperature profiles were associated with variations in age and income of inhabitants as well as type of housing.
“The different temperature profiles were associated with variations in age and income of the inhabitants as well as type of housing.”
From Human thermal perception and time of day: A review (2021) · cites this paper as [80]
Huebner and colleagues found four temperature profiles: two with lower morning and higher evening temperatures, one flat profile, and one double-peak profile with a higher evening peak.
“Their results highlighted the presence of four temperature profiles: two profiles with lower temperatures in the morning (6:00–7:30) and higher temperatures in the evening (21:00–23:30), one flat profile and one a “double-peak” profile (morning and evening peaks), with a higher peak in the evening (21:00–23:30).”
From Human thermal perception and time of day: A review (2021) · cites this paper as [80]
Huebner and colleagues always observed a trend of decreasing temperatures during the night from 00:00 to around 7:00.
“What was always observed was a trend of decreasing temperatures during the night (from 00:00 to around 7:00).”
From Human thermal perception and time of day: A review (2021) · cites this paper as [80]
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- Authors
- Huebner, G. M., McMichael, M., Shipworth, D., Shipworth, M., Durand-Daubin, M., & Summerfield, A. J.
- Affiliations
- Energy Institute (GB)
- Électricité de France (France) (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Huebner, Gesche M.
- Venue
- Building Research & Information
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2014-06-19
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 185-196
- ISSN
- 0961-3218 (ISSN-L)
- 1466-4321
- OpenAlex
- W2000568065
- Cited by
- 56
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3
- FWCI
- 3.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Building Research & Information (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/K011839/1, EP/H051112/1, EP/I02929X/1)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Building Energy and Comfort Optimization
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Building energy efficiency and sustainability
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Smart Grid Energy Management
- Keywords
- residential heating, living room, household energy demand, temperature variability, peak load
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