Energy Conservation Behavior Research Articles

Determinants of energy conservation behaviour in small hospitality firms: application of the extended value belief norm theory

The study aims to investigate the energy conservation behaviour of owners and managers of small hospitality firms by incorporating social norms into an extended Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) model. In addition, the study examines the mediating effects of causal chain of the VBN model in the context of energy conservation behaviour. The world faces serious environmental challenges such as loss of biodiversity, pollution, depletion of natural resources and global warming. One of the causes of these environmental challenges is the production and consumption of energy by households and firms. The hospitality sector uses a significant amount of energy in its operation leading to negative environmental impacts. Reducing energy use will improve environmental and financial sustainability of hospitality firms. Energy conservation behaviour is one of the significant ways to reduce energy consumption. The study adopts the survey method for data collection and the respondents are conveniently sampled. The Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling is used for data analysis. Based on a dataset of 360 respondents, the study finds that the extended VBM model that includes social norms is applicable in explaining the energy conservation behaviour of owners/managers of small hospitality firms. The mediating effects of the causal chain of the VBN model are significant. The theoretical implication is the applicability of an extended VBN model that includes social norms to predict energy conservation behaviour. Recommendations on how to improve energy conservation behaviour include improving the level of awareness of ecological problems caused by energy consumption. The study aims to investigate the energy conservation behaviour of owners and managers of small hospitality firms by incorporating social norms into an extended Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) model. In addition, the study examines the mediating effects of causal chain of the VBN model in the context of energy conservation behaviour. The world faces serious environmental challenges such as loss of biodiversity, pollution, depletion of natural resources and global warming. One of the causes of these environmental challenges is the production and consumption of energy by households and firms. The hospitality sector uses a significant amount of energy in its operation leading to negative environmental impacts. Reducing energy use will improve environmental and financial sustainability of hospitality firms. Energy conservation behaviour is one of the significant ways to reduce energy consumption. The study adopts the survey method for data collection and the respondents are conveniently sampled. The Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling is used for data analysis. Based on a dataset of 360 respondents, the study finds that the extended VBM model that includes social norms is applicable in explaining the energy conservation behaviour of owners/managers of small hospitality firms. The mediating effects of the causal chain of the VBN model are significant. The theoretical implication is the applicability of an extended VBN model that includes social norms to predict energy conservation behaviour. Recommendations on how to improve energy conservation behaviour include improving the level of awareness of ecological problems caused by energy consumption.

Convenience orientation, environmental concerns and resource conservation behaviours

There is a concern that convenience orientation, especially lifestyles that prefer convenience to sustainability, could lead to increased resource consumption, posing a challenge to sustainable consumption. This study aims to provide empirical evidence showing that convenience orientation may not necessarily harm the environment but helps conserve resources. We designed our survey to collect data on convenience orientation and environmental concerns from 361 households living in the capital city of Pakistan. Using the structural equation modelling approach, we examine how convenience orientation, environmental concerns and socioeconomic importance affect food, water, and energy conservation behaviours. Our results reveal a positive association between convenience orientation, environmental concerns and conservation behaviours while socioeconomic importance negatively associated with the food, water and energy conservation behaviours. This finding is contradictory to concerns that convenience orientation might undermine sustainability efforts.

Research on the energy saving behaviors of university students based on TPB in a hot summer–cold winter area in China

Energy saving in higher education institutions holds significant importance in the establishment of environmentally friendly and low-carbon societies, with the energy-saving behaviors of university students playing a pivotal role in the development of sustainable campuses. However, there is a clear need for customized strategies to encourage energy-saving habits among university students in areas of China with extreme weather conditions, such as hot summers and cold winters. This study offers a thorough examination of the literature regarding energy-saving behaviors among college students and presents a new theoretical framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A survey questionnaire is conducted at universities in regions with hot summers and cold winters across China, with the goal of identifying the main factors that influence students' intentions and actions regarding campus energy conservation. From July to August 2022, we collected 512 survey responses from different university campuses in China's hot summer-cold winter weather zone. The survey asked about subjective norms, understanding of energy conservation, and the importance of saving energy. Utilizing the Structural Equation Model (SEM), we examined how influencing factors are associated with energy conservation behaviors. Our findings indicate that (1) both the significance of energy conservation and subjective norms significantly drive energy-saving actions; (2) distinct factors impact different forms of energy-saving practices; and (3) the inclination to save energy partially mediates the relationship between comfort choices and the significance of energy conservation. This study presents a validated behavioral model tailored for regions experiencing hot summers and cold winters, offering valuable insights for college administrators in managing energy usage while also serving as a theoretical reference for establishing environmentally sustainable campuses.

Longitudinal Survey-Based Analysis of Energy Conservation Awareness and Behavior during Summer Months

Longitudinal Survey-Based Analysis of Energy Conservation Awareness and Behavior during Summer Months

My precious: development and validation of the conservation of human energy resources index (CHERI)

ABSTRACT Conserving energy resources is crucial for sustaining effort and preventing exhaustion, especially in demanding work environments. Yet, a reliable and valid measure for assessing individuals’ motivation to conserve energy is currently lacking. To fill this gap, we introduce a concise five-item scale, the Conservation of Human Energy Resources Index (CHERI), available in both German (CHERI-G) and English (CHERI-E) versions. In four comprehensive studies (N = 1,814), we evaluated the structure and psychometric properties of both language versions. Our results reveal that the CHERI measures a one-dimensional, homogeneous construct characterized by a high internal consistency (Studies 1, 2, and 4). Our findings also emphasize the CHERI’s sensitivity to change (Study 3) and its meaningful associations with measures from the nomological network of motivation, energy, and effort (Studies 2 and 4). Additionally, we demonstrate the cross-cultural equivalence of the CHERI-G and CHERI-E as well as their equivalence across situational contexts, encompassing both workplace and academic settings (Study 4). Taken together, the present research provides preliminary evidence for the psychometric properties of the CHERI – a measure that can be used to enhance our understanding of energy conservation behaviours and to open new perspectives for advancing research on energy management and recovery.

Turn down for watt: Community fit and thermal comfort habituation predict average household heating energy consumption

Lowering average household heating energy consumption plays a pivotal role in addressing climate change and has been central to policy initiatives. Strategies proposed so far have included commitments, incentives/ disincentives, feedback, and social norms. Yet, findings so far have been mixed and fail to explain the mechanism that drives energy conservation behavior. Using a sample of 2,128 participants across the United States, we collected survey data matched with archival temperature data to investigate the influence of past experiences on current energy conservation behaviors. Our findings indicate that childhood home temperatures significantly predict current home temperature settings. Importantly, community fit moderated this relationship. Individuals with high community fit were more likely to align their home temperature settings to those of their community. These insights not only shed light on the underlying mechanisms driving energy consumption behavior but also suggest that fostering a sense of community fit might be a more effective strategy for promoting sustainable energy practices.

Accessed but unsustainable? The impact of access-based consumption on energy conservation behavior

This research investigates the influence of physical possession type (owned vs. accessed) of vehicles (new energy vs. combustion engine) on consumers’ energy conservation behaviors, the serial mediating roles of psychological ownership and perceived responsibility, as well as the moderating effect of naming strategy (i.e., giving products anthropomorphized names). The findings are from a survey study and two experimental studies in this research, specifically indicating that compared to owned vehicles, consumers exhibit diminished energy conservation behaviors and intentions when consumers use accessed vehicles (e.g., rented vehicles); the effect is established only in the case of combustion engine vehicles. The diminished psychological ownership, and subsequently decline in perceived responsibility while using accessed vehicles is the underlying mechanism. Furthermore, the detrimental sustainable effect of using accessed combustion engine vehicles can be mitigated by using naming strategy. The results have significant theoretical and practical implications for marketing researchers and practitioners.

Determinants of Long-Term Water and Energy Conservation Behavior: An Integrated Review

Over the last decades, drinking water and energy use have increased exponentially. To preserve ecosystems in the long term, a change in behavior is necessary on all levels of society including on the household level. This paper presents an integrated review of the determinants of long-term drinking water and energy conservation behavior of households. We identified forty-nine relevant studies discussing long-term conservation behavior in the context of drinking water and energy use. Long-term conservation behavior was measured as either persistent behavior, maintaining behavioral change, or intentions to maintain behavior, each with specific determinants. We found four key factors for long-term conservation behavior: consumption feedback, household characteristics, effort, and motives for conservation behavior. For future studies, we suggest follow-up questionnaires or interviews to measure the persistence of behavior and differentiate between curtailment and efficiency behavior. Worthwhile avenues for future research on long-term conservation behavior are household-tailored feedback mechanisms and the interaction between contextual factors and effort-based choices.

Role of education and awareness programs in fostering energy conservation behavior in cities: Empowering urban sustainability using deep learning approach

This paper introduces a pioneering framework that emphasizes the critical role of education in promoting energy conservation behavior within urban environments. By synergizing deep learning methodologies with education-awareness formulations and algorithm, the framework aims to bolster energy conservation security in cities. A central aspect of this framework is the development of an advanced Intrusion Detection System (IDS) model, utilizing Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBMs) tailored to enhance energy consumption security. Through six strategic integrations of educational components, the IDS not only identifies but also mitigates potential threats to energy systems with unprecedented efficiency. Additionally, the research introduces a novel evolutionary feature selection method based on Memetic Algorithms (MAs), which strategically identifies crucial features for RBM training, ensuring optimal model performance. The incorporation of Memetic Algorithms facilitates individual learning and problem-specific knowledge transmission, further enhancing the adaptive capabilities of the system. This multifaceted approach underscores the pivotal role of education in fostering urban sustainability, pushing the boundaries of energy conservation security. By proactively responding to emerging threats, the proposed framework contributes significantly to the overarching goal of sustainable and secure urban energy management.

Effectiveness of Pro-Environmental Interventions to Improve Ecological Behavior

This research aims to determine the effectiveness of Pro-Environmental Behavior intervention in improving ecological behavior. The interventions provided are in the form of psychoeducation and individual tasks related to aspects of pro-environmental behavior which include recycling, energy conservation, and vicarious social behavior towards conservation. This research uses a quasi-experimental method with a one-group pretest-posttest design. Sampling was carried out using a purposive sampling method which was determined through inclusion and exclusion criteria. The participants selected in this study were 8 members of Fishing Community X who showed low ecological behavior as measured by the General Ecological Behavior Scale (GEB). The data analysis used in testing the pre-test and post-test data was the paired sample t-test. In this study, t-count > t-table was obtained, namely 8,683 > 2.365. The results of this analysis show that pro-environmental behavior interventions have proven effective in improving the ecological behavior of research participants through providing psychoeducation and activities that provide benefits to the environment.

Analysis of stakeholder-associated factors and their interactions in energy conservation behaviour of occupants: evidence from network analysis

Analysis of stakeholder-associated factors and their interactions in energy conservation behaviour of occupants: evidence from network analysis

Beyond short-term savings: A ten-year analysis of energy efficiency program outcomes in swiss households

This paper investigates the enduring impacts of Swiss energy efficiency programs on household electricity use and on the continuation of energy-conserving practices. Employing a mixed-methods research design, we analyzed electricity consumption data from 2009 to 2019 and incorporated insights from 2840 survey responses collected in 2018. Findings reveal sustained reductions in electricity use and continued adoption of energy-efficient appliances among program participants, underscoring the role of non-financial incentives—particularly environmental awareness—in promoting long-lasting energy conservation behaviors. Socio-cultural factors emerged as more indicative of household energy use than social status. Scaling the results to the national level, we estimate a potential annual energy saving of 2400 GWh, equivalent to 13 % of Swiss household electricity consumption in 2009. The paper advocates energy policies that prioritize engagement and periodic reinforcement to enhance long-term program efficacy.

Households’ energy conservation and efficiency awareness practices in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana

AbstractThermal power generation is the main source of power in the energy mix of the country. Erratic rainfall patterns, the high cost of fossil fuel for thermal generation, and increase electricity demand have contributed to rampant power outages in the recent past. This paper examined energy conservation and efficiency awareness practices of households in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. It assessed the level and variability in energy conservation practices and the level of energy-savings awareness education among households. Three hundred and ninety-six households were randomly selected from nine communities using stratified sampling techniques. Five stakeholders from the electricity sector were purposively sampled for in-depth interviews. The data sets were modeled using the utility maximization framework to econometrically estimate socioeconomic factors influencing the energy conservation behaviour of households. The findings reveal that years spent in school by household heads, income levels, expenditure, age of households, and the number of times electricity power triples off daily were among the key factors influencing individual households’ choice of energy-efficient appliances. There was significant variability between existing social strata in terms of income and use of electrical appliances among households that warrants policy direction. Based on the findings, this study recommends a robust energy literacy program to improve households’ energy efficiency practices awareness, and to ensure energy cost savings, environmental protection, and climate change mitigation that will enhance the drive towards achieving sustainable development goals seven.

Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on energy literacy and conservation behavior in academic buildings of Kuwait

This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on energy literacy and conservation behavior among occupant groups in academic buildings in Kuwait. It explores influential factors, focusing on the pandemic's effect on attitudes, intentions, and behaviors related to energy conservation. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Participants, including students, faculty, and staff, completed surveys, participated in questionnaires, focus groups, and took part in interviews. Statistical tests are used to validate the survey data, while thematic analysis is applied to the qualitative data. The findings of the research showed that COVID-19 had a significant impact on participants' attitudes, intentions, and behavior regarding energy literacy and conservation. Specifically, the student group experienced a significant increase in the relationship between their intentions and behavior, while the faculty group exhibited a strong correlation between intention and behavior. The study also found that education, awareness, personal motivation, values, religiosity, and culture were all crucial factors in promoting energy literacy and conservation behavior. The study recommends specific educational interventions, fostering a culture of conservation, providing access to information and resources, promoting community engagement, incorporating religiosity, and improving policies and infrastructure to enhance energy literacy in academic buildings. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of tailored educational interventions that consider the specific needs and challenges of different occupant groups and suggests incorporating religious perspectives to align with the cultural and religious context of the Kuwaiti population. The study's findings offer comprehensive insights into the impact of unforeseen events, such as pandemics, on energy literacy and conservation behavior. These insights have practical implications for policymaking and implementation. Future research could explore the effectiveness of various educational interventions and examine the role of social and cultural factors in shaping energy literacy and behavior.

Energy Literacy of Residents in Rural Communities: Comparison of Tourism and Non-Tourism Villages

Energy is an essential topic owing to the severe environmental problems faced worldwide, especially in underdeveloped rural areas. Energy literacy is closely related to energy consumption and conservation behaviors in daily life. Although the energy attitudes and behaviors of communities can determine the sustainable development of rural tourism, less attention has been paid to the energy literacy of rural communities. This study adopted a measurable scale to compare the energy literacy levels between 188 questionnaires from rural residents in tourism communities and 195 questionnaires from non-tourism communities both in the Jizhou District, China. A theoretical model was constructed to investigate the relationships between the variables. Additionally, this study verified the influence of rural tourism activities on communities’ energy literacy by comparing different villages. The results showed that rural communities have high levels of energy literacy in the knowledge, attitude, and behavioral sectors. Positive relationships between knowledge and attitude and between attitudes and behaviors were estimated. However, the positive impact of knowledge on behavior was inconspicuous. The most important theoretical contribution of this study is the confirmation of the significant differences in energy literacy between traditional and rural tourism destination communities, thus proving the improvement in communities’ energy literacy induced by tourism development. Finally, this study presents practical implications for policymakers.

Household energy conservation behaviour: A socio-economic perspective

Studies on energy conservation and household behaviour were predominantly based on econometrics using secondary data with limited studies employing the primary data. In addition, the use of secondary data from developing countries are not without their inadequacies due to missing data points. However, generating data may lead to over or under estimations which led to this study deploying structural equation model and making use of cross-sectional data from a developing country perspective. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 329 respondents in Akure Metropolis households, Nigeria, that were selected using a random sampling techniques. The study adopted the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling approach. The results of the study showed that socio-economic variables electricity price, household size, income, number of appliance and weather have significant effects on energy conservation behavior with income having the largest structural weight. This implies that income is of utmost importance to residents` electricity saving practices as householders consume more and save less electricity with more income. It is therefore recommended that energy conservation policy should aim at regulating the purchase of electricity units at household levels, where the rich pay more tax than the poor. This will foster energy saving improvement at households sector of the Nigerian economy.

The potential of digital nudging to bridge the gap between environmental attitude and behavior in the usage of smart home applications

Despite energy efficiency measures, global energy demand has gradually increased due to global economic growth and changes in consumer behavior. Even if people are aware of the problem and want to change their energy consumption, they have difficulty acting on their attitudes. This is called the attitude-behavior gap. To narrow this gap and reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions, behavioral interventions beyond technological advances must be considered. A promising intervention is nudging, which uses insights from behavioral economics to gently nudge individuals toward more sustainable choices. In this study, we investigate how modifying digital choice architectures with nudges can be used to influence consumer energy conservation behavior in smart home applications (SHAs). We conducted an online experiment with 391 participants to test the effectiveness of the following three digital nudges in an SHA: self-commitment, reminder, and social norm nudge. While the results of a structural equation model indicated no effect on bridging the gap between attitude and behavior, we found the potential to promote energy conservation with two nudge types. Thus, this paper makes substantial contribution to persuasive and information systems-enabled sustainability for a better world in the form of digital nudges for emerging technologies.

GANBISS: a new GPU accelerated N-body code for binary star systems

We present a GPU accelerated N-body integrator using the Bulirsch–Stoer method, called GANBISS (GPU accelerated n-body code for binary star systems). It is designed to simulate the dynamical evolution of planetesimal disks in binary star systems which contain some thousand disk objects. However, it can also be used for studies of non-interacting massless bodies where up to 50 million objects can be studied in a simulation. GANBISS shows the energy and angular momentum conservation behavior of non-symplectic integration methods. The code is written in CUDA C and can be run on NVIDIA GPUs of compute capability of at least 3.5. A comparison of GPU and CPU computations indicates a speed-up of the GPU performance of up to 100 times—depending on the number of disk objects.

Indirect Effect of Climate Change Experience on Household Energy Conservation Behavior of College Students Through Risk Perception and Intention

Indirect Effect of Climate Change Experience on Household Energy Conservation Behavior of College Students Through Risk Perception and Intention

Examining Preference for Energy-Related Information through a Choice Experiment

Many studies have shown that providing information on energy consumption to a household is effective, to some extent, in encouraging its energy conservation behavior. These studies provided information free of charge. However, depending on the type of information, a household must bear costs, such as installing the necessary equipment to obtain the information. Are people willing to pay for the information? In this study, a questionnaire survey was conducted to examine willingness to pay (WTP) for energy-related information using a choice experiment. The data were analyzed using conditional logit and latent class models. Positive WTP was estimated for information on the total energy consumption amount for the entire house, detailed electricity usage amount for each major home appliance, electricity rates by time zone, and power source composition of electricity. No significant positive results were obtained for comparison with the other households, as the class that accounted for about 40% of the analyzed sample had negative WTP for this information. When electricity companies provide comparative information, it is better to carefully consider how and to whom they provide it. The results of the latent class model show that preferences vary among classes. Although some preference variations exist, some households have a positive WTP for information on energy consumption.