Analysis of occupant behaviour in the use of air-conditioners in public buildings in developing countries: evidence from Ghana

Abstract

<jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Purpose</jats:title><jats:p>The use of air-conditioners (ACs) is on the increase in the developing world, with exacerbating compounding effect on carbon footprints. With this development, there is the expectation that developing countries would begin to appreciate and understand occupant behaviours in the use of ACs towards combating climate change, especially as building energy consumption is heavily influenced by the behaviour of its occupants. This study aims to identify occupant behaviours that leads to efficient use of ACs in public buildings so that these can be factored into developing guidelines for improving energy efficiency in buildings.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title><jats:p>Drawing on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), survey questionnaire was used to collect data in office buildings in Kumasi, Ghana. Partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis was employed for the analysis.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Findings</jats:title><jats:p>Switching on fan(s) as alternative to ACs has a path coefficient of 0.527, suggesting that it will have the most positive impact on energy consumption as far as AC use is concerned. The second occupant behaviour with a positive impact on energy consumption for AC use is opening windows for natural ventilation accounting for 0.351 significant path coefficient. Wearing of light or heavy clothing as a means of conserving energy achieved 0.174 impact coefficient while occupant behaviour of switching off ACs when leaving the room came last in the ranking, with an impact coefficient of 0.146. TBP is validated in this model, given that all the four occupant behaviours had their perceived behavioural control (PBC) having less impact on the behaviour compared to the behavioural attitude (BA) and the subjective norm (SN).</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Research limitations/implications</jats:title><jats:p>This research focused on public buildings used as offices, and the findings may not be applicable to private company buildings and also residential properties. Given that Ghana and, for that matter, many developing countries rely heavily on thermal plant for electricity generation, the climate change implications of the findings are discussed.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Practical implications</jats:title><jats:p>It is recommended that behaviours of occupants should be considered and factored in building energy predictions to bridge the energy performance gap. Subsequently, project managers, designers and energy consultants are encouraged to provide fans and openable windows in offices, even if there is going to be an air-conditioning provisions.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Originality/value</jats:title><jats:p>Originality emanates from the paper being at the forefront of helping to understand occupants' behaviour in the use ACs and associated climate change implications in a developing country context. One of the new variables introduced, switching on fans as an alternative to ACs, achieved the highest path coefficient and has important implication for occupant behaviour in the use of ACs in the literature.</jats:p></jats:sec>

Low-consumption techniques in tropical climates for energy and water savings in buildings: A review on experimental studies

“…Office building used solar-assisted AC [19], daylighting, and glazing [17], and for occupant behavior [24], [25] proved to use the same technique to reduce the energy consumption.…”

“…In addition to passive and active strategies, it has been stated by different authors [22], [23] that occupant's practices have an important influence on the energy consumption of buildings. Consequently, researchers as Ahadzie [24] and Ohueri [25] have studied how can occupant's behavior impact on the energy efficiency of buildings in the tropical region. Ahadzie conducted a correlational research based on surveys and questionnaires to identify occupant's practices that lead to efficient use of energy regarding ACS.…”

“…Results showed that all behaviors have a positive impact on achieving EUAC. Nevertheless, the practice with more relation to it, with a coefficient path of 0.527, is switching on fans as an alternative to AC, followed by opening windows for natural ventilation (0.351), wearing light or heavy clothes (0.174) and switching off ACs when leaving the room (0.146) [24].…”

“…According to tropical climate Am: tropical monsoon, two experimental research in university buildings was implemented, both focusing on energy saving [10], [11]. Aw: tropical Savanna applied energy-saving strategies Institutional Building [16] and office [24]. The comfort assuring strategies in this type of climate was applied only in university [14].…”

Guest editorial: Global energy transformation for combating climate change in the built environment: challenges and opportunities in developing countries

“…In the built environment, energy consumption is influenced by a number of factors including building design and materials used for the construction (Opoku et al , 2020), the occupancy rate, the type and efficiency of the appliances used in the building, as well as the behavior of the occupants using the building (Ahadzie et al , 2020). Researchers, practitioners and policy makers across the globe are therefore exploring opportunities to improve efficiency of energy systems, energy consumption behavior, smart technologies, carbon sink materials for building construction, etc.…”