“Geppetto effectş on residential buildings' heat demand

The aim of the paper is to reveal the difference between design and real demand, when taking into account the specific behavior of persons. Research is based on the standards to calculate heat demand for a residential building. “Geppetto method” will try to give life to the persons, by quantifying their real needs and incomes. Population in a test building will be targeted for understanding how they want to consume heat, how many hours they spend inside their houses, if they turn-off the heat when leaving, or how much money they are able to pay for the bill. Affordability and consumption appetite indicators will be calculated for a more human perspective of how energy efficiency could be increased in buildings. Conclusions are drawn by comparing the two methods of analyzing the heat demand and differences are explained with some projections for a city as big as Bucharest.