Effectiveness of an energy-consumption information system on energy savings in residential houses based on monitored data

Reducing energy demand in the residential sector is an important problem worldwide. This study focused on the awareness of residents to energy conservation and on the potential of reducing energy demand through energy-saving activities. To carry out quantitative analysis, an on-line interactive “energy consumption information system” for motivating energy-saving activities is constructed, and it was installed in nine residential houses. By utilizing data of measured power consumption, ambient and room temperatures before and after installation of the system, and the responses of the residents to the system, its effectiveness was evaluated. Major findings were as follows: (1) installation of the system led to a 9% reduction in power consumption, (2) comparisons of daily-load curves and load-duration curves for each appliance, before and after installation, revealed various energy-saving behaviors of the household members such as the reduction of standby power and better control of appliance operation, and (3) energy-conservation awareness affected not only the power consumption of the appliances explicitly shown on the display monitor, but also other household appliances.