Abstract
This study examined young adults’ decision making process of choosing energy-efficient home based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB)(Ajzen, 1991). This study incorporated knowledge of energy-efficient home into the classic TPB model. The target population was homeowners aged 21 to 39 years old living in the US (N = 160). A self-administered questionnaire was developed and data were collected through online survey in 2016. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and path analysis were conducted using SPSS and AMOS. Path analysis results show that participants had positive attitude toward energy-efficient home, intended to choose energy-efficient home, and reported moderate-to-high actual behavior to choose energy-efficient home; however, scores for subjective norm and perceived behavioral control were relatively low and knowledge showed the lowest score. A path model revealed that knowledge was significantly positively related to attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, and they were significantly positively related to intention to choose energy-efficient home. As hypothesized in the TPB, significant relationship between intention and actual behavior to choose energy-efficient home was confirmed. However, there was no significant relationship between knowledge and intention. This study partially supports the TPB. One of the notable findings is the role of subjective knowledge and perceived behavioral control to promote energy-efficient home.
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