Acceptance of energy efficient homes in large Japanese cities: Understanding the inner process of home choice and residence satisfaction

Abstract

In Japan's Long-term Energy Supply and Demand Outlook, promotion of energy-efficient homes (EEHs) is essential. For most people, however, energy efficiency is not a primary motivating factor when selecting a home. People cannot be satisfied with their own homes just as the home is energy efficient. For EEH promotion policies, it is important to identify factors that affect people's choice of homes and factors that affect their satisfaction with living in their homes. In addition to searching for such factors, constructing a model that explains the process through which people choose homes and are satisfied with living in their homes contributes to the implementation of EEH promotion policies. In this study, we conducted a web questionnaire survey to investigate which factors affect people's choice of EEHs and which factors affect their satisfaction with their residences. Based on observed facts and with reference to a behavioral model in the social psychological field, we constructed a theoretical model that explains the process through which people choose homes and are satisfied with their residences. As a result, in order to promote EEHs, first it is necessary to make people choose EEHs by appealing to their health consciousness and community considerations. Second, it is necessary to have people realize the satisfaction of living in EEHs by following up on how to use EEHs' technology and by raising awareness of the environment. Based on the observed facts, revealing people's decision-making and physiological process in choosing a home and their satisfaction with their residence is useful for planning EEH promotion policies.

Theory of planned behavior in predicting the construction of eco-friendly houses

“…Eco-friendly constructions contribute significantly to occupants' health, wellbeing and productivity as suggested by the studies (See. Allen et al ., 2015; Nakano and Washizu, 2018).…”

A Healthy, Energy-Efficient and Comfortable Indoor Environment, a Review

“…In Section 4 a description of human physical, behavioral and physiological limits for adaptation to environmental conditions were discussed. These all have to be taken into consideration while designing an energy efficient and healthy building environment, as the overall goal is not just the deployment of such environments but also their overall acceptance by their occupants [207]. Design principles, initiatives, and tools that encourage the culture of energy efficiency [208] and active engagement of occupants should be employed [209], otherwise the potential of an innovative build environment remains largely untapped [24].…”

Willingness to Pay for Home Energy Management Systems: A Survey in New York and Tokyo

“…We identified critical factors that affect WTP for HEMS and those that promote general acceptability of HEMS regardless of the usage price. Li et al [8] and Nakano and Washizu [10] suggested that awareness of the HEMS technology is a critical factor, and Stenner et al [9] suggested that the level of trust in utility companies was another key factor. Therefore, we examined whether these specific factors increase the demand probability of each HEMS function in New York and Tokyo.…”

“…We examined the influence of awareness of HEMS and of the presence or absence of trust in the utility company on the demand probability of HEMS. These factors were selected based on the findings of previous studies [8][9][10]. Figure 1 shows the ratios of respondents who selected each price range for the HEMS functions of MS, AC, and EI.…”

“…Although the majority of households do not yet have access to HEMS, the acceptance of HEMS technology is being studied. For instance, Li et al [8], Nakano and Washizu [9], and Stenner et al [10] have investigated the characteristics of those who accept smart energy management systems (including HEMS) in the Netherlands, Japan, and Australia. The first two articles found that awareness of the technology was necessary for the acceptance and adoption of smart technologies, while the last found that the level of trust in the power companies was important.…”