Residential heating systems’ selection process: empirical findings from Greece on the relations between motivation factors and socioeconomic, residence, and spatial characteristics

Abstract

The residential sector is responsible for a large portion of global energy consumption, with the primary needs consisting of space heating. Therefore, consumers’ decisions concerning the heating system selection play a significant role in shaping the sector's conditions. This study examines the relationship between residential heating systems’ selection-related motivation factors and socioeconomic, residence, and spatial characteristics. A questionnaire survey focusing on the Greek population was performed during 2012 and 2019, with the two samples being examined in parallel. The motivation factors were classified into convenience, market, performance, and cost-related aspects, with performance-related and cost-related aspects being perceived as the most important. Convenience-related aspects are more important for older people and women, while performance-related aspects for individuals with environmentally friendlier behaviour.

Keywords

• residential heating system
• consumer behaviour
• selection process
• motivation factors
• socioeconomic characteristics
• residence characteristics