Cultural Factors in Energy Use Patterns of Multifamily Tenants

One-third of Californians live in multifamily housing, and that percentage is on an upward trend. Little research, however, on energy patterns and cultural factors in multifamily housing exists. With changing demographics in the state there is a new focus on understanding how the cultural and demographic characteristics of Californians may influence energy use and preferences for energy efficiency and how that may affect energy efficiency programs.
Funded by the Electric Program Investment Charge Program and in partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric Company, TRC Engineers, Inc. studied how cultural and demographic factors correlate with multifamily tenants’ electric energy use patterns, before and after building retrofits and tenant engagement activities. Through tenant surveys and interval meter data analytics, this study investigated the variations in multifamily energy use patterns.
Better understanding of energy use patterns in multifamily settings provide important insight into the future of energy use as this housing type becomes a more common and essential component of any zero-net-energy strategy for the state and the dynamic changes to the United States population. This paper presents findings from this study and recommendations for future programmatic efforts to better target customers and for energy load forecasting to consider cultural and demographic factors. This report discusses how “behavior” used in programs may not be the same as inherent cultural and demographic preferences for certain energy-using patterns that may be adopted for energy efficiency efforts.