Behavioural Change Effects on Energy Use in Public Housing: A Case Study

Post-occupancy evaluations of building energy performances after retrofit often show values of energy use higher than calculated during the design phase. This performance gap is due to different factors, among which the user behaviour plays a crucial role. In the context of public housing, in particular, the techno-centric approach which is usually adopted during all the work phases tends to omit the involvement and information of the inhabitants, leading to ways of living not consistent with optimal uses of the building services and components. To tackle this limit, EnerPOP, a project funded by Politecnico di Milano, is developing a methodology for reconciling technical and social aspects in the refurbishment of public housing assets. A case study is adopted to experiment and optimize the methodology, engaging tenants of a public residential building in Milan, deeply renovated in 2014 and inhabited by 500+ people originating from over 30 different countries. The paper reports interim findings, after one year of activities, both in terms of knowledge of the building and its inhabitants and early results in terms of energy saving and social cohesion.