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

Trends in Household Energy Use

Although each Survey of Household Energy Use has evolved to incorporate the changing characteristics of household energy consumption, a few essential topics have continued to be covered by each survey (SHEU-1993, SHEU-1997 and SHEU-2003). This provides an opportunity to evaluate developments in the Canadian residential sector through a comparison of findings from 1993, 1997 and 2003.

For comparison purposes, this section refers only to elements that are common to all three surveys. Also, this section presents data only from single detached houses, double/row houses and mobile homes. Data from low-rise apartments are excluded because the sample population of SHEU-1997 did not include this type of dwelling.

Finally, since the methodology used for all of the surveys was not exactly the same,⁴ it should be noted that some of the discrepancies between the surveys might be partially attributable to methodological differences.

Changing Characteristics of Canadian Houses

Heated Area

The heated area of a house is defined as the total floor space of a house excluding the basement and the garage.

As shown in Chart 2, the average heated area of houses⁵ across Canada has increased with each version of SHEU. The 1993 version found that the average heated area of a house was 1378 sq. ft. Next, SHEU-1997 observed that the average heated area of a house had increased to 1405 sq. ft. Finally, SHEU-2003 data show that the average heated area of a house in Canada had once again increased, to reach 1425 sq. ft.

Basements

Basements can be a prime source of heat loss within a house. In fact, basements can account for 20 percent to 35 percent of a house's total heat loss.⁶ Canadian homeowners seem to have become more aware of this, as the percentage of fully insulated basements / crawl spaces has increased from 42 percent in SHEU-1993 to 51 percent in SHEU-1997 and to 60 percent in SHEU-2003 (see Chart 3).

There has also been a corresponding decrease in the percentage of basements / crawl spaces that had no insulation at all. In 1993, nearly one out of every three basements had no insulation. This ratio has decreased to one out of every five basements in 2003.

Changing Characteristics of Residential Heating

Average Age of Main Heating System

The average age of the main heating system in Canadian dwellings has gradually increased with each SHEU, from 12 years in SHEU-1993 to 14 years in SHEU-1997 to 15 years in SHEU-2003 (see Chart 4). As for the average age of the prominent types of main heating systems, electric baseboards have seen the largest increase in average age, going from 11 years to 19 years over the course of the three surveys. Similarly, the average age of heat pumps has also increased, but at a slower rate, starting from 6 years in SHEU-1993 and reaching 10 years in SHEU-2003. Other types of heating systems, such as furnaces and heating stoves, had average ages that slightly increased from SHEU-1993 to SHEU-1997 and then remained constant from SHEU-1997 to SHEU-2003.

Fireplaces

Gas fireplaces have become a cleaner-burning and potentially more energy-efficient alternative to conventional wood fireplaces.⁷ Many homeowners are more attracted to gas fireplaces – because of their ease of use, cleanliness and environmental benefits – than conventional wood fireplaces. These factors seem to have contributed to the increase in the popularity of gas fireplaces in Canadian homes. This increase can be seen by comparing the penetration rate of gas fireplaces in all three SHEUs.

The penetration rate for gas fireplaces has steadily increased, from 5 percent in SHEU-1993 to 19 percent in SHEU-2003 (see Chart 5). In contrast, the penetration rate for wood fireplaces declined slightly, from 31 percent to 27 percent, over the same period.

Changing Characteristics of Air Conditioning of Houses

From SHEU-1993 to SHEU-1997, the penetration rate for central air conditioners increased from 15 percent to 22 percent, while the penetration rate for window/room air conditioners remained stable at 10 percent (see Chart 6). Data from SHEU-2003 found that the penetration rates for central air conditioners and window/room air conditioners had increased to 32 percent and 13 percent respectively. These increases since SHEU-1997 have coincided with warmer-than-average Canadian summers since 1998, with the exception of the summer of 2000.⁸

Changing Characteristics of Appliances

Main and Secondary Refrigerators

Refrigerators in general have become more energy efficient in recent years.⁹ Given this fact, it is not unexpected that an increasing proportion of main refrigerators used by houses had a capacity larger than 16.4 cubic feet (cu. ft.). These models consume the same amount of energy as older models that had less capacity. As with main refrigerators, an increasing proportion of secondary refrigerators had a capacity larger than 16.4 cu. ft.

When a refrigerator has a capacity greater than 16.4 cu. ft., it is classified in the large or very large refrigerator capacity category.

The proportion of main refrigerators with a large or very large capacity has steadily increased, from 49 percent in SHEU-1993 to 67 percent in SHEU-2003 (see Chart 7). In contrast, the proportion of secondary refrigerators with a large or very large capacity increased slightly, from 23 percent in SHEU-1993 to 26 percent in SHEU-1997, but then jumped in SHEU-2003 to 35 percent.

Selected Appliances

There has been a steady decline in the penetration rate for freezers, from 75 percent in SHEU-1993 to 69 percent in SHEU-2003 (see Chart 8 on page 7). This decline has coincided with an increase in the penetration rate of secondary refrigerators, from 25 percent in SHEU-1993 to 36 percent in SHEU-2003, and the previously discussed increase in the capacity of main and secondary refrigerators. Therefore, households seem to be slowly replacing freezers with additional and larger refrigerators, which include freezer sections.

As was the case with secondary refrigerators, the penetration rates of many other appliances have increased over the 10 years since SHEU-1993. For example, the penetration rate of dishwashers in Canadian households has increased, from 54 percent to 61 percent. Also, the penetration rate for microwave ovens has increased, to the point where almost every household used a microwave oven in 2003. Additionally, there has been a dramatic increase in the penetration rate for personal computers, as it has risen from 28 percent to 70 percent.

Note: The results presented in this section excluded data from low-rise apartments. Unless otherwise stated, the analysis in the following sections covers the entire SHEU-2003 sample, which includes low-rise apartments.

⁴ For example, the wording of questions and possible responses may have been refined from one survey to the next.

⁵ Includes single detached houses, double/row houses and mobile homes.

⁶ Natural Resources Canada, Keeping the Heat In – EnerGuide, Gatineau, 2004, p. 74.

⁷ Natural Resources Canada, All About Gas Fireplaces, Gatineau, 2004, p. 2.

⁸ Natural Resources Canada, Energy Use Data Handbook – 1990 and 1997 to 2003, Gatineau, 2005, p. 22.

⁹ Natural Resources Canada, Energy Consumption of Major Household Appliances Shipped in Canada – Trends 1990-2003, Gatineau, 2005, p. 9.