Nearly a quarter of all Dutch energy consumption takes place in dwellings and other buildings. This energy is used for heating, appliances and lighting. Natural gas is the main fuel, but the consumption of electricity is growing rapidly. The built environment is characterised by a great variety in actors. In the subfield Built Environment, ECN Policy Studies is conducting research in the following areas:

• Policy Studies monitors historic energy consumption in the built environment and determines realised energy savings. The built environment is included in integral analyses of the Dutch energy system.
• Policy Studies has various models, which are used to make detailed projections up to 2040.
• SAWEC is used for projections of energy consumption in houses. The effects of specific policy measures can be established, among other things.
• An electricity model for projections of residential energy use for lighting and appliances.
• SAVE-Services for projections of energy use in utility buildings.
• The HOME research provides detailed information on domestic energy use.
• Policy Studies has a large knowledge base of various saving options and their costs and benefits. By combining this knowledge with long term projections, potentials, costs and benefits of energy saving measures can be established in coherence with each other for the long term.
• Policy Studies carries out ex ante and ex post evaluations of policy in the built environment. Examples of ex ante studies are the Clean and Efficient Programme (information about this programme is only available in Dutch) and the Green4Sure plan. Ex post studies have been conducted on EPC standards.
• As energy use in the built environment is mainly determined by consumer behaviour, social scientific research is also conducted, see for instance IDEAL EPBD.

For more  information about some of our projects follow this link.

Next to policy research, ECN also conducts technical research of energy in the built environment. This research is not conducted by Policy Studies but by the section Energy in the Built Environment of the unit Efficiency and Infrastructure.

For more information please contact Martine Uyterlinde.