Only reasoned action? An interorganizational study of energy-saving behaviors in office buildings

Siu Hing Lo,Gerjo Kok,Gjalt-Jorn Y Peters,Gerard J P Van Breukelen

doi:10.1007/s12053-014-9254-x

Abstract

Substantial energy savings can be achieved by reducing energy use in office buildings. The reported study used a Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model extended with perceived habit to explain office energy-saving behaviors. One aim was to examine if organizational contextual variability independently predicted office energy-saving behaviors over and above TPB variables and self-reported habit. Another aim was to examine the relative predictive value of TPB variables and habit for energy-saving behaviors between organizational contexts. Survey data on energy-saving behaviors, TPB variables, and habit and number of office mates were collected from office workers of four organizations in the Netherlands. The results indicate that intention was the strongest direct predictor of the behaviors printing smaller and not printing e-mails, whereas habit was the strongest predictor of the behaviors switching off lights and switching off monitors. Of the social-cognitive factors, attitude was the strongest predictor of intentions overall. The effect of perceived norm varied widely between behaviors and subgroups. Number of office mates had a direct, unmediated effect on the behavior switching off lights and a mediated effect via attitude and perceived control. The effect of organizational contextual variability on behavior was entirely mediated through the psychosocial factors for the two ‘printing behaviors’, but only partially for the two ‘switching behaviors’. The relative predictive value of habit and intention differed between organizations. The findings suggest that organizational contextual variability has unconscious influences on some office energy-saving behaviors. Interventions should take variation in the relative importance of cognitive factors and habit between behaviors, and to a lesser extent between organizational contexts, into account.

Highlights

Accounting for almost one-fifth of non-domestic energy consumption, office buildings have the potential for substantial energy savings
The findings suggest that organizational contextual variability has unconscious influences on some office energy-saving behaviors
The present study aimed to examine if organizational contextual variability independently predicts office energy-saving behaviors over and above the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model and self-reported habit

Summary

Introduction

Accounting for almost one-fifth of non-domestic energy consumption, office buildings have the potential for substantial energy savings (de Groot and Morgenstern 2009; Perez-Lombard et al 2008). Little is known about how organizational contextual variability affects employee energy-saving behaviors. The relatively scarce, existing organizational proenvironmental research on the individual level of analysis has focused on organizational members with job-specific environment-related responsibilities (Egmond et al 2006; Vermeulen and Hovens 2006; Völlink et al 2002). These key organizational members have a comparatively large impact on the organization’s energy use, an understanding of other employees’ views and behaviors is needed for energysaving investments and policies to be effective. People’s behavior can (adversely) affect the effectiveness of technical measures implemented to save energy

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Discussion

Conclusion