| Abstract [eng] |
This Master's final degree project examines the technological, economic, social, and behavioral factors influencing energy consumption efficiency in residential buildings in Lithuania. The relevance of the study stems from the fact that the residential sector accounts for a significant share of final energy consumption, while a large part of Lithuania's housing stock consists of buildings constructed before 1993, characterized by poor energy performance. The aim of the project is to investigate the factors influencing energy consumption efficiency in residential buildings and to provide recommendations for improving efficiency. The research applies a four-method methodology: LMDI decomposition analysis (Lithuanian household data for the 2010–2023 period), correlation and regression analysis, a questionnaire survey (n = 287), and a comparative analysis of EU countries. The LMDI decomposition revealed that the overall reduction in energy consumption (–3.9%) is the result of interaction between opposing factors: improvements in energy intensity (–15,443 TJ) and population decline (–6,211 TJ) were largely offset by household downsizing (+15,588 TJ) and growth in dwelling floor area (+3,459 TJ). The regression model (R² = 0.683) confirmed the dominant role of technological factors – the most significant being renovation status (renovated buildings show approximately 19% lower specific consumption) and building age. The survey identified three principal barriers: financial (67.9%), lack of information (37.6%), and bureaucratic (35.2%). The comparative analysis showed that Lithuania lags behind Latvia (–22.3%) and the EU-27 average (–18.3%) in terms of the pace of energy consumption reduction. Based on the results, recommendations for policymakers were formulated: increase the renovation rate to 3–4% per year, introduce differentiated support for small households, simplify decision-making procedures in multi-apartment buildings, and establish a one-stop-shop information system. |
