Introduction

Domestic energy use represents a large proportion of total national energy use. It has risen from 25% of the total in 1970 to 30% in 2001. Clearly it is important to understand the drivers behind domestic energy use and the Domestic Energy Fact File is intended to fulfil that purpose by providing comprehensive information on relevant trends. This edition updates the main 1998 Fact File1, presenting the most up to date information possible and introducing some completely new topics. The following overview highlights the main trends and findings of the report and concludes by indicating how the information that it contains has been used as the basis for further work addressing the prospects for the future.

The overview discusses key factors involved in domestic energy use. It considers the effect of fuel prices and rising numbers of households. It then looks at effects of improvements in insulation of dwellings and changes to heating systems including their efficiency. Changes in fuel use are examined and the carbon emissions from domestic energy use calculated. The information provides a means of looking at future as well as past trends and the overview ends by illustrating how this has been done.