Potential energy savings achievable by zoned control of individual rooms in UK housing compared to standard central heating controls

Energy is w asted in domestic buildings w hen rooms that are heated are not occupied. Allow ing those rooms to cool reduces the inside-outside temperature difference and therefore rate of heat loss,resulting in an energy saving. This suggests a cost effective w ay to upgrade an existing modern heating system,especially in older properties w here other energy saving possibilities are limited. Assessing the savings achievable requires an analysis of a range of influencing factors,such as house type and age,location and occupancy patterns. Door opening has amajor influence due to the impact on air exchange betw een heated and unheated zones in a house,so this w as also considered.Annual simulations w ere carried out on dynamic models of the thermal and air flow interactions, for all combinations of influencing factors,to compare the potential energy savings of zoned versus non-zoned control. Savings of betw een 12% and31% w ere obtained in the case of a semi-detached house model,and betw een 8% and 37% for a single storey bungalow. The largest percentage savings occurred in older properties,w ith interconnecting doors kept closed,and for the more intermittent types of occupancy. The average saving obtained for both house types w as around 20%.