Syftet med forskningen är att öka förståelsen för individuell mätning och debitering av värme och vatten i flera bostadshus, ett system som syftar till att individuellt fördela kostnader. Individuell mätning är för närvarande på dagordningen i Sverige, inte bara på grund av EU’s påtryckningar på byggsektorn för att förbättra energiprestandan, men även på grund av brister i mätmetoderna för debitering av värme samt om huruvida individuell mätning faktiskt är nödvändigt och gör någon nytta. En undersökning har genomförts genom enkäter och intervjuer med fastighetsägare och boende i flerbostadshus samt genom litteraturstudier. Undersökningen visar på ett behov av individuellmätning och debitering. De boende anser att de som använder mer också ska betala mer. Men brister i mätmetoderna gör det svårt att uppnå en rättvis fördelning av värmekostnaderna. Dessutom är mätningarna svåra att förstå för de boende. Två huvudsakliga incitament för fastighetsägare att installera individuell mätning och debitering ärenergibesparingar och därmed miljön samt rättvis kostnadsfördelning. Undersökningen visar dock att kritik från de boende kan leda till ytterligare administrativa kostnader som kan påverka lönsamheten med mätningarna. Undersökningen visar också att det är mer ekonomiskt lönsamt med individuell mätning av vatten än värme. Några av fastighetsägarna får inte någon vinst alls med individuell mätning av värmen. Men individuell mätning och debitering är ändå en möjlighet att minska energianvändningen i flerbostadshus.
The purpose of this research is to increase the understanding of individualmetering and charging of heat and water in multi-dwelling houses, systemsdesigned to allocate individual costs. Individual metering is currently on the agendain Sweden, not because of the pressure the EU put on the building sector toimprove energy performance, but rather because of shortcoming in the techniquesof metering heat as well as the questions whether individual metering is actuallynecessary and does any good. The extension of individual metering of heat andwater is very limited in Sweden in contrast to several other European countries.A survey has been carried out through questionnaires and interviews with landlordsand tenants and literature studies. The survey shows on a need for individualmetering and charging. Tenants simply believe that those who use more alsoshould pay more. Speaking against individual metering and charging of heat aresuch as shortcomings with metering methods making it more difficult to achievefair cost allocations, and the tenants’ difficulties to understand the individualmetering, possibly because of limited or no information.Two main incentives for landlords to install individual metering and charging areenergy savings and thus the environment, and fair cost allocation. However, thesurvey shows that tenants being critical to the metering lead to additionaladministrative expenses, hence negatively affecting the overall economy. Thesurvey also indicates that it is more economically profitable to individually meterwater than heat. Some of the participating landlords have as a matter of fact noteven got any profit at all from metering of heat. Individual metering and chargingof heat and water can still create an opportunity to reduce the energy use in multidwelling houses.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to look more closely at the residents’ attitude to individual heat metering and charging systems (IMC) of multi-family dwellings in residential properties, and to evaluate the tenant’s perception of IMC and how it may affect the continued expansion of such systems. Design/methodology/approach – The research in this paper is based on a questionnaire and interviews with tenants at two municipal housing companies, in Sweden, that currently are using IMC. Findings – The studies in this paper show certain dissatisfaction with the applied IMC systems. This depends partly on the tenant’s perceived lack of knowledge and partly because of the technical shortcomings of the IMC system. Originality/value – In order to increase the extension of IMC a better understanding is required of how the systems work and why they are used. Information to the tenants needs to be improved and techniques need to be developed to create fairer systems of IMC and thus increase the level of acceptance from both landlords and tenants. Keywords Heat measurement, Residential property, Tenancy, Sweden
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to look more closely at incentives for a landlord to use individual metering and charging of heat and water. This paper also aims to look at the possible reasons for the differences in use of individual metering and charging between Sweden and Germany. Design/methodology/approach – The research in this paper is based on a questionnaire and interviews with landlords, in Sweden, using individual metering and charging. Findings – The two main incentives for the landlords in the survey to use individual metering are the possibility to save energy and the possibility to create a fair allocation of heating cost between tenants. Sweden has a long history of heat and water included in the rent leading to a possibly tougher transition to individual metering. Originality/value – To see the overall picture and understand the purpose of individual metering is important to avoid conflicts between landlords and tenants. The paper aids this process. Keywords Energy consumption, Residential property, Sweden, Tenancy, Incentive schemes Paper type Research paper