Large differences between the expected and actual energy consumption have been found in energy efficient dwellings. Research has shown that these differences are partially caused by occupant behaviour. The financing and payback periods of low carbon technologies are often uncertain because of the impact of the occupant on building performance. This translates into a reluctance to invest in far-reaching renovation projects. The goal of the 2ndSkin project is the renovation of social rental multi-family housing in the Netherlands by providing a solution for zero energy renovation that reduces the occupancy effects on building performance. This investigation focuses on the identification of target occupants and their characteristics and requirements to inform design decisions, and the energy calculation process. This paper presents the user research approach developed for the 2ndSkin renovation process, which consists of statistical analysis of Dutch households, a monitoring campaign in the area of study and requirements elicitation. The results highlight the effect of different household types on energy consumption and occupant requirements, and point at the importance of taking into account household typology and socioeconomic characteristics in energy calculations or building simulations and occupant requirements in the design process.