Knowing electricity end-uses to successfully promote energy efficiency in buildings: a case study in low-income houses in Southern Brazil

The objective of this paper is to show the importance of measuring electricity end-uses in order to promote energy efficiency in low-income houses in Southern Brazil. Sixty low-income houses were surveyed, and data of socioeconomic variables, electricity use, and usage pattern were measured and obtained. Confidence intervals were assigned to obtain representative electricity end-uses and usage patterns. The results showed that the electric shower has the greatest electricity end-use, i.e., 33.5 to 40.3%, followed by the refrigerators, with end-use of 27.4 to 33.1% with 90% non-parametric confidence interval. Usage patterns were obtained for appliances and lighting for each room and also for the electric shower. The results of this study will provide basis for determination of guidelines for low-income houses and government programmes for energy efficiency, rational use of energy and renewable energy.