Energy efficient living - INTEWON: From measuring to modelling to managing

In 2011, a Dutch multidisciplinary project was launched entitled "Individual-oriented information technology for energy efficient living" (INTEWON). It is a four-year study aimed at gaining more insight into the factors that determine the actual energy consumption of a household. It is a co-operation between the Maastricht University (physiology and knowledge engineering), Groningen University (human energy saving behaviour), Cauberg-Huygen engineering agency (energy calculations), and the University of Technology Eindhoven (energy technology and build environment). The purpose of the study is to obtain insight into the interaction between the individual comfort, the resulting behaviour and the techniques that enable energy efficient behaviour. It is a study in which technical, physiological and social research work together. The experiments are currently being conducted and here we report pilot data on the interaction between thermal physiology and thermal behaviour. In part I, experiments are described that are carried out in a specially designed indoor climate facilities at Maastricht University. In the laboratory the environmental conditions can be accurately prescribed whilst continuously monitoring behaviour and physiological parameters such as energy expenditure and skin temperature. In part II a novel numerical model for prediction of thermal behaviour using a Bayesian approach is described.