2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS)

Webinar

September 19, 2017 at 2 p.m. EDT

By

Chip Berry, Survey Manager 

Danni Mayclin, Survey Statistician

Maggie Woodward, Industry Economist

www.eia.gov

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Independent Statistics & Analysis

Agenda

Introduction

RECS release schedule

Accessing RECS data on the website

Highlights from the 2015 RECS

Overview of methods for the 2015 RECS

A look to the future

Q&A

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2015 RECS release schedule

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| Product                                  | Release date  |
|------------------------------------------|---------------|
| Housing characteristics data tables      | February 2017 |
| Microdata and methodology                | May 2017      |
| Square footage data                      | Fall 2017     |
| Energy consumption and expenditures data | Spring 2018   |

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The RECS website

www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/

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Highlights from the 2015 RECS

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RECS results describe the characteristics that contribute to energy consumption in homes

More than 240 items collected 

Structure and geography

Appliances and electronics

HVAC and water heating

Lighting

Program participation

New questions for 2015

Smart meters and smart thermostats

LED lighting

Thermostat use

Highlights variability across homes

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Newer homes are more likely to have high ceilings and more efficient windows

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Highlight new versus old homes; newer homes also more likely to be in warmer climates

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The number of households with a second refrigerator continues to increase 

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Dishwashers are the most frequently unused appliance

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Not only captured “have, but don’t use” but also more changed usage questions from categorical to more detailed, continuous response.

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Larger share of households report not using a television

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Choice of heating equipment varies within and across climates

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“Set it and forget it” is most common method for controlling central AC systems

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Most households have a mix of lightbulbs installed

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All

10%

1%

11%

Some

71%

72%

27%

None

18%

19%

71%

Incandescent

CFL

LED

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The proportion of all-electric homes is rising, primarily in the South Census region

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Methods from the 2015 RECS

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RECS Methodology: Overview

Sampling

Questionnaire Design

Data Collection Modes (in-person, web, mail)

Response Rate and Data Quality

Processing and Editing

Imputation and Weighting

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RECS Methodology: Sampling

Addresses were selected to represent the 118.2 million occupied, primary residences in the 50 States + DC

Multi-stage sample designed to produce national, Census Region, and Census Division estimates

First stage: Public Use Microdata Areas (200)

Second stage: Census Block Groups (800)

Final stage: Housing units (12,753)

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2. Select CBGs

1. Select PUMAs

Main St

Diagonal Ave

3. Select housing units

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RECS Methodology: Questionnaire Design

Questionnaire design process included:

Reviewing content from 2009 RECS

Adding and dropping questions based on current household technologies

Soliciting data user input

Pretesting most of the new or substantially revised questions

Households completed RECS questionnaire by one of three methods:

In-person by computer-assisted personal interview (used since 1997 RECS)

Self-administered web questionnaire (new!)

Self-administered mail questionnaire (new!)

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RECS Methodology: Questionnaire Sections

Housing unit characteristics

Appliances

Electronics

Space heating

Air conditioning

Water heating

Lighting

Energy programs

Energy bills

Energy suppliers

Household characteristics

Energy assistance

In-person only: Housing unit measurement

In-person only: Scanning of sample energy bills

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Example: In-person interview vs. Mail

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| DISHWASH  (Changed from 2009)                       |                                            |
|-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| ASK                                                 | All respondents                            |
| Does your household have a dishwasher? 1  Yes0  No  |                                            |
| NEXT                                                | If DISHWASH=1: DWASHUSEElse: IVCOMMBFILTER |

Example: Web screenshot

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2014

2015

2016

2017

Cities Pilot

Energy Supplier Survey

Web and mail pilots

National Pilot

In-person interviews

Web/ paper

2015 RECS

UMD Pilot

RECS Methodology: Data Collection Schedule

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RECS Methodology: Response Rate and Data Quality

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2015 RECS response rate was 51%, much lower than 79% for 2009 RECS

43% of those were in-person, 37% web, 20% mail

Data quality analysis included:

Comparing to previous RECS and external sources (i.e. American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau)

Comparing participation by subgroups within the sample

Looking for non-response bias

Comparing responses across mode

We found very few significant differences, and most were not practically different

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RECS Methodology: Processing and Editing

Mail questionnaires were keyed twice

Validation to ensure the correct household was interviewed

Post-collection checks included reading comments and reviewing outliers, inconsistent values, and write-in responses

Data from all modes were combined into one file

Added auxiliary weather and geographic variables for each household 

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RECS Methodology: Imputation and Weighting

Item imputation was used to fill in missing values in the data set

216 variables were imputed

Average imputation rate: 3.7%

Hot-deck imputation method was used – a recipient household was matched with a similar donor household and borrowed its value

Weights are calculated for each responding housing unit 

Sum of all weights is 118.2 million, which is the total number of U.S. households in 2015

If using the public microdata file, please use NWEIGHT variable (see documentation, or ask us how to do this if you aren’t sure)

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The Future of RECS

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Using on-line and paper questionnaires allows for a more flexible RECS program in the future

Opportunities for...

Large samples to cover more detailed geographies and special populations

More frequent data collections

Revisiting sampled households over time for longitudinal analysis

Expert assessments and end-use measurement via submetering devices

Planning about to begin for the next RECS...2020?

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Questions? (Please submit them through the Chat box)

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Contact us!

www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/

Chip Berry, Survey Manager

James.Berry@eia.gov

Danni Mayclin, Survey Statistician

Danielle.Mayclin@eia.gov

Maggie Woodward, Industry Economist

Maggie.Woodward@eia.gov

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