Using Real Building Energy Use Data to Explain the Energy Performance Gap of Energy-Efficient Residential Buildings: A Case Study from the Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone in China

The International Energy Agency (IEA) emphasizes that using real building energy use data (RBEUD) to reflect the actual condition of buildings and inform policy-making is the most effective way to reduce buildings’ carbon emissions. However, based on IEA’s evaluation, regional and national building stock data are limited and lacking. Especially for China, the lack of RBEUD in buildings has limited our ability to address the energy performance gap (EPG). In this research, EPG refers to the difference between regulated energy consumption by design standards and actual energy usage. EPG makes it difficult to develop buildings that are energy-efficient. Therefore, this study aims to gather and analyze RBEUD in order to understand the role of occupants’ behavior in explaining the EPG of energy-efficient residential buildings in China. The results suggest that the actual consumption of residential buildings is less than 1/5–1/3 of the theoretical limits. The heat pump and air conditioner’s actual schedules and setpoint settings are the significant drivers that explain the EPG. In addition, the presentation of a database of 1128 households provides actual usage behavior parameters for policy-makers to improve the accuracy of building energy forecasting models.