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Pausito · smart living

Energy

Where does the energy in a home go?

Short answer

Into heating. In the EU 61.5 % of household energy goes to space heating and 15.6 % to hot water.

Where the energy goes: Share per use in EU households (2024): space heating 61.5 %, hot water 15.6 %, lighting and appliances 14.8 %, cooking 6.4 %, cooling 0.8 %.
Where the energy goes — Share per use in EU households (2024): space heating 61.5 %, hot water 15.6 %, lighting and appliances 14.8 %, cooking 6.4 %, cooling 0.8 %. (The text inside the figure is in Dutch.)

Explanation

In 2024 households used 26.0 % of the EU's final energy consumption. Heating and hot water together are more than three quarters of that. Lighting and appliances are smaller than many people think. Saving therefore starts with insulation, temperature and hot water.

Rules of thumb

  • Space heating 61.5 %; hot water 15.6 %; lighting and appliances 14.8 %; cooking 6.4 %; cooling 0.8 % (EU, 2024). [SW-S43]
  • Start with the biggest item: insulation and thermostat. [SW-S43]

Pitfalls

  • Tackling lamps and standby is useful, but weighs less than heating. [SW-S43]

Search terms

These search terms are in Dutch; only terms that also find a topic in English are links.

energieverbruik verwarming warm water besparen

Read also

General information, not personal advice. Check the source and reference date.

Sources

  1. SW-S43 Energy consumption in households — Eurostat Statistics Explained (Reference date 2026-09-27)

Reference date: 2026-09-27 · Translated with AI from the Dutch original.