Air Conditioner User Behavior in a Master-Metered Apartment Building

Abstract

Air conditioner operation was studied in order to understand how energy consumption and peak power are determined by user behavior, equipment operation and building characteristics. In a multi-family building, thirteen room air conditioners were instrumented in eight apartments, and interviews were conducted with the residents about their operation of the units. The predominant mode of operation was to switch the unit on and off manually; only one resident consistently let it operate thermostatically, and many residents were not aware that the unit had a thermostat. Ambient temperature and time of day were observed to have major effects on the occupant's decision to turn the unit on or off. Even though residents did not pay for electricity, numerous noneconomic factors were found to limit their use of air conditioning. Across apartments, seasonal air conditioner energy consumption varies by two orders of magnitude while interior July temperature varies by 3.7°C.