Abstract This paper presents the results from the monitoring of hot water consumption in four apartment buildings that are located in Solar Village 3, in Greece. The buildings were monitored centrally for hot water consumption using a Data Acquisition System (DAS). The hot water is prepared in one building by an air-to-water heat pump and in the other three buildings by central solar plants. The main objective of the paper is the development of average residential hot water use patterns based on data from actual measurements conducted over the period September 1990 to August 1991. Average hourly, daily, and yearly profiles, which refer to central DHW systems, are presented and discussed. The average hot water consumption “per person” is also concluded. In addition, the effect of “family size” in hot water use is examined. It was found that the majority of the families consume between 25 and 35 liters per person per day, and the mean annual energy consumption is 0.83 kWh per person per day.