Enhancing Energy Efficiency Behavior in Household Through Disaggregated Feedback Study

1. Technology, Gadgets and Energy Feedback Comparing Total Household Energy with Disaggregated Feedback. Tony Craig Socio-Economic Research Group Macaulay Land Use Research InstituteAberdeen, Scotland Email: t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk 

2. What Behaviour…..? • ….. Energy consumption is not ‘a behaviour’! • Overall goal => reduce those behaviours associated with high energy consumption. • Efficiency vs. Curtailment Behaviours • Essentially, efficiency is about maximising utility for each unit of energy consumed. • E.g. Buying a fuel efficient car (reasoned decision) • Rebound effect problem • E.g. Insulating a house may have a theoretical energy reduction potential of 20%, but only 5% of these savings are realised because the thermostat was turned up (or more rooms were heated) • If utility=“subjective satisfaction”, when do people become ‘subjectively satisfied’? Is this important? Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

3. Interventions • Two main strategies…. • Antecedent Strategies: • (Commitment, Goal Setting, Information) • Consequence Strategies: • (Feedback, Rewards) • Combined strategies: • (Goal Setting + Feedback) Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

4. Energy Feedback • One definition of feedback = “The transmission of evaluative or corrective information about an action, event, or process to the original or controlling source” • Energy feedback = Feedback about household energy consumption to the ‘original or controlling source’ • Making the invisible visible…. • Making the intangible tangible….. • E.g. Thermometer; Gas Bills, Real-time electricity display… Tony Craig  Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

5. Internal Temperature Do people know how warm their houses are? Source: Utley and Shorrock (2006) Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

6. Increases in Efficiency <18C 30 25 20 15 Inefficient House Indoor Temperature Efficient House • What if the heat is all let out through the bedroom window? • When a house feels hot, people open windows… • Humidity is also important. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Outdoor Temperature Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

7. Disaggregated feedback CH Boiler thermostat or individual room thermometers? Aggregate Circuit Monitoring vs Individual Appliance Monitoring Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

8. Energy Feedback • Indirect Feedback • Standard Billing • Enhanced Billing (e.g. additional advice) • Estimated Feedback (e.g. web-based energy audits) • Weekly feedback based on self-meter-reading • Direct Feedback • Real-time Feedback (e.g. in-home displays) • Real-time plus (e.g. including appliance disaggregation) Source: EPRI (2009) Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

9. Study Overview • “North East Scotland Energy Monitoring Project” • Research Questions: • What is the energy conservation effect associated with real time energy feedback? (10%?) • What is the energy conservation effect associated with internet-connected energy display technology? • What is the energy conservation effect (if any) associated with individual appliance monitoring? • What effect do these interventions have on wider psychological factors (attitudes, comfort, perceived social norms, etc..) Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

10. What stuff is involved? MONITOR IAMS BRIDGE Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

11. Internet Bridge Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

12. Internet Bridge ‘Neighbourhood’ averages Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

13. Summarised Study Design (All groups will fill in a standardised carbon footprint calculator) Aberdeenshire Council Employees Following a learning period, 50% of the monitor group will be set a difficult goal (reduce daily KWhr by 20%) 600 Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

14. Recruitment • Recruitment Questionnaire (online) • Very short • Job Title, Office, Demographics, Broadband Access • Informed Consent • Randomise to condition • All participants fill in (at baseline): • CO2 calculator • Questionnaire about environmental attitudes, behaviours, social capital, QoL, etc…. • 50% of monitor participants asked to reduce daily consumption by 20% (after learning period) Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

15. Timescale • Control and ‘baseline’ group recruited already • All other groups to be recruited in the next couple of months • Project to run for minimum of two years (8 seasons), with likely extension. Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

16. What works?..... • Literature tells us that a combination of feedback and goal setting works. • This study will shed some light on the magnitude of this effect. • We already know the technical solutions to energy efficiency – especially for keeping buildings warm – improve the building stock. • Simply giving people gadgets is unlikely to be the most effective strategy in encouraging energy efficiency. • A combination of technology, gadgets and a better psychological understanding of individuals is needed…. Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

17. Or…. • Going to bed earlier? • Less demand for heating (and lighting) • Beneficial for mental health. • (sometimes the easiest solutions are the most effective) Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk

18. The end…. Any questions… Tony Craig Macaulay Land Use Research Institute Aberdeen  t.craig@macaulay.ac.uk