Smartline Research
Energy and Water Usage During the First COVID-19 Lockdown
By analysing the energy and water usage of our Smartline participants, our researchers identified how household habits have changed during lockdown. Did usage change significantly, and if so, what are the potential impacts?
Why did we carry out this research?
If people are spending more time at home, we expect to see their energy (gas and electricity) and water usage change. Assuming many people were previously at work, college or school for at least part of the day, it’s likely daily usage would increase.
Naturally, this increase would see a corresponding rise in household bills, which can increase financial stress and affect people’s mental wellbeing. People living in deprived areas, and people already struggling to pay for fuel or water could be at even more risk as bills go up.
Analysing energy and water usage also gives us insights into people’s lockdown behaviour: did our routines change?
What research has been carried out?
Our researchers looked into how people used water and energy during the first lockdown in spring 2020, including the week leading up to the start of lockdown (17-23 March 2020). Our research team is currently analysing the data for the second and third lockdowns.
What has the research shown us?
Analysis of the household data indicates that the ‘instruction’ to stay at home had more impact on behaviour than earlier guidance. Households also saw changes in daily habits and increased utility usage during lockdown.
Gas usage increased by 20% during the week leading up to lockdown (17-23 March), perhaps due to people following the stay-at-home advice.
However, this increase wasn’t sustained during the full lockdown period. Perhaps this finding isn’t surprising: April 2020 was described as “record-breaking” by the Met Office. It was the sunniest April in the UK since 1929 and the fifth warmest on record. We may have been at home, but we certainly didn’t need the heating on.
Water usage (both volume and pattern) provides a clearer picture of changes in behaviour. There was a 17% increase in water use during full lockdown (24 March – 21 April 2020) and a one-hour delay in peak morning usage.
These changes are consistent with people getting up later (no nine-to-five or school run), and simply using more water because they were around more. Electricity usage reflects this new pattern, with a decrease at 6 a.m. and an increase at midday (a delayed start to the day and perhaps no packed lunches during lockdown).
The electricity and water data suggest that enforcement was needed to follow the stay-at-home advice, because there weren’t any changes to usage or routine during the week leading up to full lockdown. The increase in gas usage seems to contradict this; however, this was a colder week than the previous year.
What could be the impacts?
Naturally, the more energy used, the more the household needs to pay; and those with metered water will notice a difference with a 17% increase. Larger bills bring more pressure to households struggling with fuel poverty.
Research from elsewhere has shown the negative effects of lockdowns on people living in deprived areas, who may also be suffering from other impacts of COVID-19. For example, lacking space at home, having limited access to technology and the internet, experiencing digital exclusion and missing out on educational contact from schools.
The overall impact? Being unable to pay utility bills can lead to stress and other financial decisions with poor health outcomes such as reducing food bills to compensate, all of which can negatively impact health and wellbeing.
Implications for the decision makers and the community
Our findings support wider research that argues for targeted financial support for people struggling to meet energy costs. There are also implications for energy providers post-lockdown. What now counts as “off peak”? What are the changes to industrial versus domestic demand?
When it comes to any future pandemic planning, the water and electricity usage data suggests that enforcement works better than advice.
What happens next?
Our researchers will continue to analyse the data from the second and third national lockdowns. Next they will examine the data from between lockdowns (September – October 2020), to see whether these shifts in behaviour were more permanent.
Find out more:
To find out more about the impact of COVID-19 on indoor environments and energy usage, take a look at Smartline’s webinar from Dr Tamaryn Menneer. This also looks at the changes of air quality inside the home, with people spending more time indoors.
Who was involved?
This Smartline research was led by Dr Tamaryn Menneer, with Assoc Prof Karyn Morrissey, Dr Markus Mueller, Zening Qi (MSc student), Dr Tim Taylor, Cheryl Paterson, Dr Gengyang Tu, and Dr Lewis R. Elliott.
Related Research
Changing energy and water usage during lockdown
New research finds changes in energy and water usage at home during lockdown, evidence that people were more compliant during the enforced lockdown.
Covid-19: Indoor Environment and Energy Use During Lockdown
This is a recording of a webinar delivered by Dr Tamaryn Menneer on the impact of the UK lockdown (March-June 2020) on home indoor environments and energey usage. It will be of interest to researchers investigating the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and policy-makers, energy companies looking at policy and demand for the future.