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This paper presents a two year long empirical study on the effects of fabric retrofit insulation on a high rise social housing building (a 23-storey block with 157 flats) in Newcastle upon Tyne (UK). The study has followed a quasi-experimental approach coupled with qualitative methods and examines whether temperature take-back is taking place; whether it operates independently of socio economic characteristics due to saturation effects; and the relationship between temperature take-back, physical factors and occupant’s behavioural change. The presented empirical evidence suggests that, first, temperature take-back as extra warmth (or energy consumption savings) is not occurring. Second, the saturation effect has taken place. This supports the assumption that temperature take-back decreases owing to saturation effects when pre-intervention internal temperatures saturate (approaching 21 °C) in lieu of the hypothesis that low-income householders take the benefits of an energy efficiency intervention as extra warmth rather than energy savings. Third, an upper level or maximum take-back temperature was achieved for the dwellings ranging from 20.85 °C to 24.81 °C. Fourth, behavioural factors such as turning on the heating appear to be less relevant than physical factors such as energy-efficiency improvements to explain the increased of standardised mean internal air temperature. The study also suggests that local building characteristics (e.g. heating pipes routing) play an influential role and that to evaluate appropriateness of retrofitted energy-efficiency insulation measures pre-intervention variables such as internal temperatures, heating system and building fabric performance should be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper reviews the annual energy and water performance of an aspiring low energy/carbon affordable housing development in southern UK, comprising 25 houses heated by a biomass fueled district heating network. Electrical, heat and water consumption data was collected for all dwellings and more detailed data logging was conducted on a sample of four. The data was analysed to benchmark the overall site performance and compare the individual dwellings. The individual dwellings performed efficiently in terms of electricity, heat and water consumption. Significant variation was identified between maximum and minimum consumers, even when typical performance correlates (i.e. number of occupants, floor area) were accounted for. Water consumption varies by a factor of > 7 and heat and electrical consumption by > 3 which, given the homogeneous design and specification of the buildings, suggested that occupant behaviour was important. Site-wide energy consumption and losses (over and above individual dwelling use) reduced energy and carbon emissions performance by 85% and 70% respectively. Although energy consumption in UK homes can be substantially reduced, the challenge for zero-carbon design is to address issues of total system performance, occupant behaviour and whole-building energy performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]