Survey of resident behaviour related to air conditioner operation in low-cost apartments of Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

Predictions of air conditioner (AC) use can greatly facilitate efforts to increase energy efficiency in buildings and promote sustainability. In order to determine the statistical characteristics of occupant behaviour related to AC operation, a series of surveys were conducted between September 2013 and December 2015 in 63 dwellings within two apartments in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Measurements were taken either in the bedroom or living room of each dwelling. The results indicate that occupants who use ACs more frequently tend to use them for longer periods. It was found that AC use in bedrooms is not affected by outdoor temperature but is controlled by the habitual behaviour of the occupant. AC usage in living rooms slightly increases with increases in outdoor temperature. AC usage predominantly occurs at night time, with a maximum of 50 % of occupants using ACs in bedrooms. The start time and duration of use vary for each dwelling. These findings on stochastic resident behaviour might be useful for various building energy simulations in predicting realistic AC loads, particularly in tropical climates.