Because　heating　energy　consumption　is　huge　and　it　takes　a　large　part　of　building　energy　consumption,　techniques　aiming　at　decreasing　the　heating　energy　demand　are　very　important　in　today＇s　world.　While,　there　are　few　studies　regarding　the　determination　method　of　the　optimal　heating　mode　(i.e.　convective,　radiative　or　mixing)　of　a　given　house.　A　novel　concept　based　on　the　inverse　problem　method　to　determine　the　optimal　heating　mode　of　residential　rooms　is　put　forward　in　this　paper.　By　minimizing　the　additive　heating　energy　consumption　and　keeping　indoor　thermal　comfort　simultaneously,　the　optimal　heating　mode　of　residential　rooms　is　determined　by　the　variation　method.　Some　general　conclusions　are　derived,　such　as　the　transition　point　of　the　convective　and　radiative　heating　mode　and　the　influence　of　wall＇s　thermophysical　properties　on　the　energy　saving　ratio.　For　illustrative　purposes,　a　typical　residential　room　in　Beijing　is　analyzed.　In　addition,　optimal　heating　modes　of　six　typical　room　kinds　in　four　representative　cities　in　China　are　determined,　which　can　guide　the　proper　selection　of　the　heating　method　in　various　places.　The　proposed　method　can　be　the　first　step　to　build　the　optimal　indoor　thermal　network,　and　the　new　concepts　can　be　used　to　deal　with　other　similar　problems　in　the　built　environment　field.　(C)　2014　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.