Making Sense of Energy-Saving Behaviour: A Theoretical Framework on Strategies for Behaviour Change Intervention

Abstract

The global construction industry is expected to experience an average growth of 3.6% annually in construction outputs throughout 2018 to 2022. The surge of new building developments will create substantial demand for energy and therefore run the risk of higher carbon emissions. With the rising concern over climate change, it is imperative for buildings to have energy-saving strategies in place. Many research has discussed the use of energy efficient technologies as a solution, but overlook the role of energy-saving behaviour during the post-occupancy stage. Occupants’ energy-saving behaviour is important in ensuring the optimisation of building technologies. A large part of human behaviour is characterised by habit, which is learned sequences of an act that have become automatic responses to specific ques and are functional in meeting certain needs. The study aims to establish the link between the behaviour of building occupants and their underlying habits. Adopting the Habit Theory as a premise, the study formulates a framework on strategies for behaviour change interventions that captures the underlying motivations to exhibiting energy-saving behaviour. The Effective Theory-Building design process was applied, which engages an axiomatic system to purposefully generate theory, evaluate its utility, and provide an effective representation of the observed phenomena. The theoretical framework addresses how energy-saving behaviour is cultivated through conditions of habits. This shows that the building occupant’s behaviour is important for enabling energy efficiency and that it can be construed and explained by repetitive habitual actions of energy-saving practices. To have the greatest effect on a building’s energy performance, building managers must examine the nuanced ways that habitual actions may shape the occupants’ energy-saving behaviour and consider intervention strategies for changing habits. The paper provides a deeper understanding of building occupants’ energy-saving behaviour from a sociotechnical perspective and creates a paradigm for future studies of building energy management.