Understanding Resident’s Perception of Energy Saving Habits in Households in Bangkok

Abstract

The Thailand twenty-year energy efficiency development plan in 2015 aimed at decreasing energy consumption in the building sector about ten percent by 2030. One of the strategies is to promote residents upgrading high efficient home appliances and changing their behavior. This paper investigates the existing residents’ behavior and their interest in behavior change for reducing home energy consumption. The survey was conducted from four hundred households in Bangkok neighborhood areas. The questionnaires includes four parts covering: i) personal information, ii) an understand of energy saving strategies and way to receive information from the saving campaigns, iii) a number of home appliances and its usage schedule, and iv) energy-saving habits and behavioral changes in the future. Women are more likely energy-saving habits than men. Most residents presently selected efficient air conditioners and home appliances with energy rating labels and a few did change their behavior. Potentially saving more energy, they were interested in changing their behaviors on low-cost activities and minor retrofits of building structure. Understanding such household energy conservation behaviors could significantly contribute to effective energy policy making which suits the resident’s need and encourages home energy savings.