Building conditions and energy user behaviour: systematic review of literature

Abstract

Purpose The characteristics of buildings and the behaviour of building occupants in the use of energy in buildings are deemed to be major contributing factors to high energy consumption in buildings. Consequently, these issues have been part of global discussions towards decarbonizing the building sector to achieve net-zero carbon buildings. This research systematically reviewed literature on building conditions and energy user behaviour to identify what already exists in the literature and the available gaps for future research, thereby presenting a comprehensive overview of the subject. This study serves as a base point for directing and shaping future studies on the subject to collectively drive the agenda towards net-zero emission buildings. Design/methodology/approach Using a three-stage methodological approach, the study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocols for reporting systematic reviews. Data were sourced from Scopus, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. Findings The findings revealed that current studies largely concentrate on the use of building management systems and how the operational state of various building systems and occupant behaviour separately affect energy efficiency and consumption in residential and office buildings. The identified gaps to guide future studies are subsequently discussed in this research. Research limitations/implications The review data, though sourced from reliable databases, findings from the review are limited to relevant research works published in the selected databases. Originality/value Existing studies on energy user behaviour and building conditions are dispersed, both congruent and incongruent on the relation between building conditions and energy user behaviour. Thus, this study synergizes all existing studies in the area to identify research gaps for future studies. These gaps, if explored, will help promote efficient energy user behaviour through improved building conditions and ultimately contribute to decarbonizing the building sector.