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Abstract: This paper identifies the impact of thermostat strategies on heating and cooling energy consumptions in buildings, thus suggesting the importance of a database for understanding the effect of thermostat settings and for deciding energy-conscious strategies. Using computer simulation, diverse thermostat strategies – change of setback period, change of set-point temperature, and change of setback temperature – were tested parametrically in a typical USA single-family homes, located in two climate zones, namely cold (Detroit, Michigan) and hot-humid (Miami, Florida). Analysis revealed that heating and cooling systems were significant energy-consuming components in each climate zone. Accordingly, heating energy in cold climate zones and cooling energy in hot-humid climate zones have potential for matchingly significant saving. Diverse thermostat strategies (changes of setback period, of set-point, of setback temperature) demonstrated their obvious impacts on such saving. In the cold climate in particular, the heating system showed the most significant energy-saving effect via proper thermostat strategies. Proper setback period, set-point and setback temperature need to be established to achieve energy efficiency in residential buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Article analyzes reported thermostat settings by 494 males and 786 females living in the US. • Average male and female reported thermostat settings differ by no more than 0.3 °C [0.5 °F]. • Controlling for demographic and environmental characteristics reduces the difference. This paper examines the extent to which males and females report different thermostat settings using data from single-occupant homes in the United States. Reported thermostat settings for heating and cooling at night, at home, and when away from home are rigorously tested for behavioral differences between the sexes. In general, single-occupant males and females report the same thermostat settings on average. The lack of differences between sexes is robust to controlling for demographic characteristics and environmental variables that differ systematically between the samples using both regression and decomposition approaches. These findings have important implications for thermostat settings and thermal comfort in shared spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]