Characteristics of Household Energy Behaviours: (original) (raw)
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Low temperature geothermal resources are various forms of heat energy, generally less than 150ºC, drawn directly from the ground. Although worldwide there are a number of direct uses of these resources including space heating, bathing, domestic heat pumps, and heating greenhouses, such applications in New Zealand are relatively limited. This report presents revised findings from the social scientific component of a Foundation of Research, Science and Technology (FRST) funded project that is examining how to increase energy use from New Zealand’s low temperature geothermal resources. Specifically, this updated report (see Doody & Becker, 2010) presents revised survey results based on the analysis of the combined data from the first and second mail outs of the questionnaire survey. The main aim of our social research was to gain an understanding of the social and cultural factors that will influence the acceptance and use of these resources in residential households. To achieve this we identified four associated objectives: 1. To obtain an appreciation of people’s energy uses, demands and needs; 2. To examine people’s knowledge about and understanding of New Zealand’s energy environment; 3. To gain an insight into people’s understanding of, and views on, low temperature geothermal resources; 4. To attempt to understand how people may be encouraged to adopt low temperature geothermal resources in residential. Examining the potential uses of low-temperature geothermal resources we identified groundsource heat pumps (GSHPs) as the application with the most potential for residential houses. As a result we focused our research on the ways people heat and cool their homes and the processes they go through in deciding whether to replace or retain their existing forms of heating and cooling. We used a mixed method approach which incorporated both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted from March to April 2009 in Christchurch and Lower Hutt. Following this a questionnaire survey was constructed and delivered in September 2009 to 3500 random residential homes in Auckland, Rotorua, Tauranga, Christchurch and Dunedin. A second mail out of the survey to the same addresses took place in March 2010. In total, 716 questionnaires were returned partially or fully completed. The interviews and questionnaires examined residential householder’s views and practices in relation to a number of areas including: energy, power and appliances in the home; home heating and cooling practices and decisions; energyefficient options in the home; sources of information about heating and cooling; adopting new heating/cooling technologies in the home; and thoughts about energy, alternative forms of energy, and geothermal resources in New Zealand. Results show New Zealand households typically use electricity and/or a wood burner to heat one or two rooms (most commonly the lounge and dining room) in the house. Most households rely on natural ventilation through windows and doors to cool their homes. When selecting new forms of heating or cooling, people typically interpret information in light of its source, and triangulate particular information ‘packages’ with data available from other sources they consider to be relevant. In this context, discussions with family and friends can be equally, if not more, influential than expert consultations and information provided by suppliers, companies, councils and government agencies. This suggests that in attempting to encourage people to adopt technologies that utilise low-temperature geothermal resources it is critical to recognise that it is inextricably a social process. In general, people appear to have a reasonable understanding of the resources used to generate energy at either a regional or national scale. Much of the discussion about New Zealand’s current and future energy resources focused on the types of energy that should be used, the cost and pricing of electricity, and the management of the electricity sector to ensure that energy resources are used wisely and efficiently. People were particularly supportive of renewable resources (hydro, wind and geothermal), less supportive of nonrenewable resources (coal and oil) and very unsupportive of nuclear power. The common perception was that non-renewable resources and nuclear power currently have and will continue to have more of a negative environmental impact than renewable resources. People are fairly knowledgeable and aware of the characteristics, location and uses of high temperature geothermal (>150ºC) resources in New Zealand. Geothermal resources are typically associated with heat and steam that originates naturally from the ground or earth. These resources are believed to be located in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions and are mainly associated with Rotorua and Taupo. Generating power, tourism, bathing, swimming and cooking are considered to be the main uses. In contrast, there was less awareness about low temperature resources. The main associations with these resources were again with steam and hot springs that were from the ground or earth. There was some awareness of ground-source heat pumps but few were familiar with domestic applications of low temperature resources such as for space heating, heat pumps and space cooling. There are five main implications arising from this research for increasing the development and use of low temperature geothermal resources in New Zealand: 1. Efforts to increase the use of geothermal resources will likely receive public support although the extent of this support will be influenced by the scale, nature and location of these projects; 2. Efforts to increase the awareness of builders, architects, developers and residential planners of potential applications using these resources would be beneficial as they are in a position to help encourage their utilisation; 3. Attempts to raise public awareness need to be made relevant and meaningful to people; 4. A number of approaches should be used for public awareness campaigns including websites, advertising and television programmes. In our view, a pilot scheme in a residential context utilising low-temperature resources would be particularly valuable; 5. Policies, subsidies and incentives need to be carefully considered to make sure they increase the financial viability of projects for residential householders and developers and ensure high-quality of both the units and installation.households.
A Review on the use of Household Energy
Journal of emerging technologies and innovative research, 2018
This article provides a thorough review of the theory and research on household energy use predictors at individual levels. In the light of social sciences literature, we examine two broad categories of variables that were identified as potential explanations for variability in consumption and conservation of energy, namely socio-demographical factors (e.g. income, occupational condition, type/size of dwelling, property ownership, household size, family life cycle) and psychologic factors (e.g., beliefs and attitudes, motives and intentions, perceived behavioural control, cost-benefit appraisals, personal and social norms). We find empirical proofs of the effect of these variables, despite an expanding literature, far from consistent and conclusive. Such incoherence presents challenges in drawing widespread conclusions and highlights the complexity of consumer behaviour in this area. In this article, we propose a variety of factorsdirectly, indirectly or interactivelyaffect how households consume and conserve energy. By understanding what these factors are and how, when, where, why and for whom they work, research and practise can be greatly advanced. Finally, we outline certain important practical implications for policymakers and guidelines for future research.
Household Energy Use in a Temperate Climate
2004
The Household Energy End-use Project (HEEP) is a multi-year, multi-discipline, New Zealand study that is monitoring all fuel types (electricity, natural gas, LPG, solid fuel, oil and solar used for water heating) and the services they provide (space temperature, hot water, cooking, lighting, appliances etc). The monitoring of 400 randomly selected houses will be finished in early 2005, with a national residential sector energy model to be completed in 2007. The paper provides a brief background to the study and an overview of the monitoring methodology, along with preliminary results based on measured data from 200 houses. It highlights some initial findings and discusses the type of issues that can be investigated with such a comprehensive, integrated database including energy use, house physical characteristics, and socio-economic data. Examples include household energy uses, hot water standing losses, low-flow shower heads, the impact of thermal insulation on space temperatures a...
Energy consumption in UK households: Impact of domestic electrical appliances
Applied Energy, 1996
The social-psychological aspects of energy use in UK households have been reviewed. A major survey, which,focused on identtxving environmental attitudes and beliefs, energy-use hehaviour, ownership levels,for certain appliances and their utilisation patterns, \t'as undertaken among householders resident in the southeast of England. The results indicute that members of the general public are li) interested in receiving informution concerning household energyuse and the associated environmental impuct, and (ii) willing to modify' their hehaviour in order to reduce household energy consumption und environmental damage. Therefore, there is un urgent need to provide end-users with accurate energy-consumption und environmental-impact information. persuasively presented, to stimulute energy-rational and environmentally~ sustainable behaviour. For each mujor domestic electrical appliance, the survey data permit estimates of the variations in energy consumption per household and of the aggregate annual consumption nationally. Copyright
This article uses data from domestic appliances usage survey for summer and winter sessions, to explore the variations in different time categories of use of household energy appliances in UK over time. A questionnaire survey was conducted and the feedback was collected from a number of occupants at different intervals of times on daily bases on the estimated use of electrical appliances during summer and winter sessions. UK domestic buildings energy consumption statistics are an important means of assessing the impact of changes in environmental policy, structure and regulation of energy companies, public awareness of environmental issues and energy saving initiatives. This article will be of interest to those involved with environmental and energy policy-making and research, particularly at the local and regional level. This study also considered the results of previous investigations such as that available in public reports and statistics as input data elements to predict the domestic energy consumption. In addition, this study considered relationships between dependent variable and independent variables. The result of the present study can be compared to available published data and this can determine if there is reasonable agreement.
Energy Policy, 2007
Domestic sector energy use is increasing in the UK and currently accounts for 30% of total use. Policies of liberalised energy markets have allowed greater consumer choice but have not sought to reduce carbon emissions. Overall sales of energy efficiency products are rising, but UK housing stock standards are poor and do not facilitate improved efficiency and further, the sales of such products are influenced by their price, thus the higher capital costs of products such as boilers and solar systems make them initially unattractive to consumers. Previous market-based research into the adoption of energy efficiency products has often focused on single factors, for example demographics. This has limited the ability of policy makers to make informed decisions that address a broader range of factors, such as individuals' cognitive abilities, values and attitudes, as well as external factors such as social networks, marketing, and products and services. This paper provides a wider critique of the theoretical base related to consumer behaviour, product attributes and socioenvironmental theories that relate to energy use. The aim of the paper is to draw together theories relevant to energy use in order to aid policy making in the broader context and to develop the discussion around integrated theories of consumer behaviour. r
Non-technical Aspects of Household Energy Reductions
2017
Domestic energy forms a significant part of total energy use in OECD countries, accounting for 22% in the US in 2011. Together with private travel, domestic energy reductions are one of the few ways that households can directly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Although domestic energy costs form a minor part of average household expenditure, the unit costs for domestic electricity and natural gas vary by a factor of four and five respectively among OECD countries, and per capita use is strongly influenced by these costs. Other influences on domestic energy use are household income, household size, residence type (apartment/flat vs detatched house) and regional climate. Numerous campaigns have been carried out in various countries to reduce household energy use. A large literature has analyzed both the results of these studies and the general psychology of pro-environmental behavior, yet the findings often seem to conflict with the national statistical data. We argue that the rising frequency of extreme weather events (especially heat waves, storms and floods) together with sea level rises, are likely to be key factors in getting both the public and policy makers to treat global climate change as a matter of urgency. Costs of domestic energy are likely to rise in future, possibly because of carbon taxes. But such taxes will need to be supplemented by other policies that not only encourage the use of more efficient energy consuming appliances, but also unambiguously support energy and emissions reductions in all sectors.
Energy Efficiency, 2008
This paper presents results from a UK Open University project which surveyed consumers' reasons for adoption, and non-adoption, of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy systems-collectively called low-and zero-carbon technologies-and their experiences of using these technologies. Data were gathered during 2006 via an online questionnaire with nearly 400 responses, plus 111 in-depth telephone interviews. The respondents were mainly environmentally concerned, 'green' consumers and therefore these are purposive rather than representative surveys. The paper outlines results for four energy efficiency measures (loft insulation, condensing boilers, heating controls and energy-efficient lighting) and four household renewables (solar thermal water heating, solar photovoltaics, micro-wind turbines and wood-burning stoves). These green consumers typically adopted these technologies to save energy, money and/or the environment, which many considered they achieved despite rebound effects. The reasons for considering but rejecting these technologies include the familiar price barriers, but there were also other obstacles that varied according to the technology concerned. Nearly a third of the surveyed consumers had adopted household renewables, over half of which were wood stoves and 10% solar thermal water heating systems. Most adopters of renewables had previously installed several energy efficiency measures, but only a fifth of those who seriously considered renewables actually installed a system. This suggests sell energy efficiency first, then renewables. There seems to be considerable interest in household renewables in the UK, especially among older, middle-class green consumers, but so far only relatively few pioneers have managed to overcome the barriers to adoption.
Energy-efficiency interventions in housing: learning from the inhabitants
Building Research & Information, 2010
Technological solutions to domestic energy reduction are insufficient without the cooperation of householders. It does not matter how much energy hypothetically could be saved by efficient technologies, if no one wants to live in the properties, install or use efficient lighting and heating. Therefore, to improve the uptake and effectiveness of household energy efficiency interventions, it is necessary to understand 'why people react to particular energy efficiency interventions in the ways that they do?' An analysis is presented of in-depth interviews with 50 householders that participated in one of four domestic energy efficiency interventions. The findings indicate that issues such as aesthetic tastes and effects on lifestyle are central to why people reject economically viable simple and well understood domestic energy efficiency interventions.
Lifestyle trends for heating and cooling in Maltese households
Energy Economics of Phasing out Carbon and Uranium,13th IAEE European Conference,August 18-21, 2013, 2013
According to the EU Directive 2009/28/EC Malta is obliged to reach a 10% renewable energy share of the total final energy consumption by the year 2020. Due to the challenging targets, Malta seems to be finding it hard to achieve the agreed trajectories. Renewable energy applications in an island state like Malta are hard to achieve due to various constraints, including: lack of space, multiple land-uses and land-use conflicts, few natural resources, low social acceptance, lack of financial resources, lack of expertise, and lack of capacity building. Hence, it would be more feasible to also focus on energy efficiency in buildings which is one of the major consumers of energy on the island. More than 30% of the energy production in Malta is used by buildings, including households. Primarily, this is where the authorities lack information, in the light of heating and cooling of air and water heating in buildings. This paper investigates the status-quo of existing lifestyle trends for space heating and cooling, and water heating, in Maltese households. The scope is to evaluate the potential of shifting to more energy efficient systems that can positively contribute towards the decline of energy consumption in houses, and thus indirectly help to attain the renewable energy targets set for year 2020 and beyond. Energy behaviour and attitudes of Maltese citizens have also been analysed.