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2003 Survey of Household Energy Use (SHEU) – Summary Report

I. Introduction

In 1993, Statistics Canada conducted an extensive survey for Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) entitled 1993 Survey of Household Energy Use (SHEU-1993). This survey provided an opportunity to collect detailed data on the energy consumption habits of households in Canada to be used by what would become the Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE).

The OEE decided to periodically conduct additional Surveys of Household Energy Use in a continuing effort to assess the changing characteristics of household energy consumption across Canada. The second Survey of Household Energy Use collected data for 1997 (SHEU-1997), and the third collected data for 2003 (SHEU-2003).¹ These surveys tie in directly with the OEE's mandate to strengthen and expand Canada's commitment to energy efficiency in order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that contribute to climate change.

The primary objective of SHEU-2003 was to gather information on energy use and the factors affecting energy use in households residing in houses and residential buildings with fewer than five storeys. More precisely, the survey involved collecting information on

• dwelling characteristics
• usage of appliances and other energy-consuming products
• energy efficiency characteristics
• energy consumption

The purpose of this summary report is to provide an overview of the main findings of SHEU-2003. A more detailed report entitled 2003 Survey of Household Energy Use – Detailed Statistical Report is also available.

Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) offers a wide range of programs and services to improve energy efficiency in every sector of the Canadian economy, including the residential sector. The OEE's Equipment Program helps Canadians make energy-efficient choices when buying, selling or manufacturing energy-using equipment. The OEE's Housing Program offers resources to help Canadians keep their homes comfortable and well ventilated for healthy indoor air quality while reducing energy costs for home heating. For more information on these and other programs, as well as tools, financial incentives, free publications and other resources to help save energy and reduce GHG emissions, visit oee.nrcan.gc.ca.

If you would like to learn more about this publication or the OEE's services, please contact us by e-mail.

This summary report was prepared by Glen Ewaschuk of the Demand Policy and Analysis Division of the OEE. Indrani Hulan and Jean-François Bilodeau supervised the project, Vincent Fecteau and Michel Blais provided data assistance, and David McNabb provided project leadership.

To learn more about this survey and the topics discussed in this document, please contact:

¹ Statistics Canada conducted SHEU-2003 in 2004 and therefore refers to it as the 2004 Survey of Household Energy Use. However, the reference period for this survey is the calendar year 2003 (that is, all data presented are for households during the 2003 calendar year). Therefore, this report refers to the survey as the 2003 Survey of Household Energy Use (SHEU-2003).