Comparative Analysis of End Use Electricity Consumption across Household Occupancy Patterns in the United States

Residential buildings account for a significant portion of energy and electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the US. Among the various factors influencing building energy usage, household occupancy plays a critical role. The presence of occupants in a building substantially affects the energy consumption of different energy end uses, such as space heating, lighting, and appliance operation. Given that American households follow specific occupancy patterns based on their characteristics and preferences, it is essential to investigate how different occupancy behaviors of occupants impact energy consumption. This study uses statistical analysis to analyze and compare end-use electricity consumption of diverse household occupancy patterns at a national scale. The findings of this study facilitate the development of more accurate building energy models. This insight enables the development of targeted energy conservation measures, leading to enhanced energy management strategies.