Patterns in heating and ventilation behaviour of occupants of newly-built terraced houses.

Studies the daily behaviour with respect to heating, use of windows and ventilation in newly built identical houses in Oosterhout, Netherlands. The houses have external walls of brick with cavity insulation, double-glazed windows and natural ventilation, with a gas burner furnace in the loft for heating and hot water. 57 occupants were interviewed and 41 filled in hourly log-books during 14 days recording people at home, thermostat setting, periods of open windows and trickle ventilators in the different rooms, use of radiator valves and position of doors inside the house. External climatic conditions were very varied during the period. A preliminary analysis of 20 log-books is made. The use of verbal interviews followed by log-books seems to function very well and provide reliable information.