**2. Residential Characteristics in Kuwait**

Buildings account for nearly one-third of the global final energy consumption and 55% of global electricity demand. Electricity demand growth in buildings has been particularly rapid over the last 25 years, accounting for nearly 60% of total growth in global electricity consumption [20]. Similar to the global figures, the energy demand in Kuwait is also rising rapidly. Due to the hot climate and high energy use per capita, residential buildings account for a significant portion of the total electrical consumption. Mainly attributed to the air conditioning and refrigeration loads, 57% of the peak demand consumed in Kuwait is from the residential sector [21].

It should also be underlined that the main factor contributing to such high rates of energy-use-per-capita is subsidization. The government in Kuwait subsidizes 94.7% of the total cost of electricity, leaving a factional cost of only 2 fils/kWh (\$0.007/kWh) for the end-user [5]. Targeting electrical consumption in buildings will drastically reduce the impact on the electric grid, but also reduce CO2 emissions, since Kuwait heavily relies on fossil fuels for generation. In doing so, analyzing the energy consumption patterns is crucial.

Due to the vast differences between Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti (i.e., expatriate) residential households, observing both sides separately is very important. The differences range from electrical consumption patterns, appliance ownership rates, and occupancy behavior to different utility rate structures. In further detail, approximately 90% of Kuwaiti households would fall under the single-detached home category, as most are single-family homes, whereas roughly 70% of non-Kuwaiti families would be under the multi-family home category, mostly living in apartment buildings [22]. The electrical rate for the residential sector, which includes single-detached dwellings, is 1.8 fils/kWh (\$0.006/kWh). The rate for the investment sector, which includes multi-family homes, is approximately 250% more when compared to the residential sector. Furthermore, the average household size for Kuwaiti homes is roughly eight people, whereas non-Kuwaiti homes are smaller, at around four persons [22,23]. In addition, the average growth rate of the expatriate population between 2000 and 2016 was 5.2%, compared to 2.9% for the Kuwaiti population [1,22].
