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How Do Teleworkers Use Thermostats and Equipment at Home?
Melina Sirati, William O'Brien, Cynthia A. Cruickshank
Carleton University, Canada
After the COVID-19 experience, employees showed interest in hybrid work as a new job style, even after the pandemic ended. One of the main sectors likely to be affected by this shift is residential buildings, as people spend more time at home, leaving them no longer vacant during office hours. To quantify the changes in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions resulting from this shift, simulations are needed to capture the various possible teleworking scenarios. One key factor influencing the results is occupant behavior regarding thermostat setpoints when they leave the house for extended periods. Additionally, understanding teleworkers' preferred setpoints and their usage of lighting and equipment are the key parameters in assessing the impact of telework on household energy consumption. To address these questions, we surveyed 5,662 employees who were teleworking at the time. The study findings revealed that setback/set-up users applied an average of a 2°C setback in winter and a similar set-up in summer. The results also indicated no significant difference between the setpoints used in the home office and the living room, suggesting that teleworkers did not change their setpoints while working. Furthermore, nearly 50% of participants reported no change in lighting usage during teleworking, while approximately 42% reported increased use of kitchen appliances when working from home. Moreover, to avoid the negative impact of partial occupancy and over-conditioning the empty rooms, we asked about participants’ willingness to pay for an upgrade. 28% declared they already upgraded and 26% reported they were interested in doing the upgrade.
