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Can behavior c hange b e p art of the solution? An experiment with real-time electricity meters and a LEED residence hall. Dr. Eric Compas, Dr. Andrew Ciganek, Dr. Jennifer Flad , UW-Whitewater Dr. Lance Weinhart , Medical College of Wisconsin. Conventional approach.
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Can behavior change be part of the solution?An experiment with real-time electricity meters anda LEED residence hall Dr. Eric Compas, Dr. Andrew Ciganek, Dr. Jennifer Flad, UW-Whitewater Dr. Lance Weinhart, Medical College of Wisconsin
Conventional approach • Replace with more efficient technology • Reduce usage through automated systems • Don’t rely on the human to do much, if anything
Behavior wedge • Dietz et al. 2009: • Changes in basic household actions could reduce our national CO2 emissions by 7.4% “with little to no reduction in household well-being.” • Significant potential for reducing impact through behavioral changes • Little to no cost • Grandma environmentalism
Theory • Multiple potential drivers for behavior: • Intrinsic values • Economic incentives • Social and peer pressure • Regulatory, penalties
New residence hall • Opened in Aug. 2010 • 119 suites,446 residents • LEED Gold
Research project • Development of pilot survey, Fall 2011 • All students surveyed in Dec 2010-Feb 2011 • Using Dunlap et al. (2000) modified “new ecological paradigm” questions to measure environmental attitudes • Addition questions about knowledge of electricity, relationships to suite-mates, and basic demographics • Residence hall split into control and treatment groups • Control – no access to meter data or website • Treatment – access to meter data, website, and training on how to use
Future plans • Repeat study for multiple years • Treatments to test • Regulatory – penalties for using excessive amounts • Market-based – pay bill for usage • Social – add transparency to system, neighbors can view usage • Various ways of visualizing data • Which will yield the greatest reduction in electricity usage? Wagers?
…water next • Looking at possibility of using City of Whitewater to examine water usage behavior when provided near real-time data
Acknowledgement • Significant logistical and technical support from UWW Residential Life and iCIT