The Influence of Occupant Behavior on Energy Consumption in Cairo’s Middle-Class Residential Apartments

In Cairo, residential energy consumption is determined by both building features and occupant practices. A persistent gap exists between predicted and actual electricity use, driven primarily by resident behavior. Despite middle-income housing dominating Cairo’s stock, its energy use and behavioral patterns remain poorly understood. This study assesses how occupant practices affect electricity consumption in Cairo’s middle-income apartments, using a 401-household cross-sectional survey covering air conditioning, ventilation, lighting, appliance use, and seasonal adaptations. Analytical methods included descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, and regression modeling to map behavior patterns by income, education, ownership, and household size. Cluster analysis identified three behavioral user profiles: Low Profile (38.5%), Medium Profile (42.7%), and High Profile (18.8%), with the High-Profile group using AC most intensively and generating the highest bills. Education was associated with energy knowledge, but not necessarily with conservation behavior. Apartment characteristics and ownership were strongly associated with higher consumption. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating empirically grounded behavioral profiles into building energy models and residential energy policy, supporting more accurate predictions and effective interventions in Egypt’s hot-arid urban context.