Effects of group performance feedback and goal-setting in an organisational energy intervention

Abstract

End-user energy demand (EUED) in the workplace is affected by a complex interaction between behavioural, social, technological, regulatory and organisational factors. Designing technology-led interventions to encourage pro-environmental behaviour that acknowledge and support this complexity is a significant challenge. This paper discusses the design and evaluation of an EUED intervention implemented in the corporate infrastructure of a UK university administration department. Two intervention types, group feedback and group goal-setting were implemented. 16 participants were recruited and engaged with a four stage study (baseline, group feedback, group goal setting, and baseline) for a duration of 4 months. This study design allowed us to track clearly any changes in mid-term energy usage behaviour during and beyond intervention. Findings suggest that, surprisingly, participant energy consumption increased during the intervention period compared to baseline conditions. These results demonstrate that simple group-based behaviour change methods can be counter-productive in the workplace, illustrating the complex and unpredictable nature of intervention in this design space.

Occupant engagement in the office environment: role assumptions about the building manager

“…However, not all practices require BMs to adopt educational responsibilities. Some practices just focused on increasing engagement (Lockton et al , 2013; Murtagh et al , 2013; Pollard, 2016), others on fostering communication (Bull et al , 2016), and some just delegated to technology the responsibility to educate (Foster et al , 2014). Responsibilities associated with education are greater where a link between local context and energy outcomes is desired.…”

“…One possible reason for this is that in the majority of the studies reviewed, the role of implementation is either substantially or completely absorbed by the “research team” behind the intervention. Lockton et al (2013); Bull et al (2015); Foster et al (2014) and Gulbinas and Taylor (2014) all acknowledge their lack of consideration for organizational roles within their studies. As pointed by Bull et al (2015), to further consider the impact of individual roles can bring to question “[…] challenges of control, responsibility and power” in the organizational context.…”

The EN-Survival Game: An Environmental Game for Residential Accommodation

“…Subsequent interventions have sought to address these challenges by targeting groups rather than individuals (Bedwell et al, 2014), providing extrinsic rewards (Wiersma, 1992), or seeking to adjust social norms (Smeaton & Doherty, 2013). Evidence shows promising impact when presenting consumption information to end-users (Borner, Storm, Kalz, & Specht, 2012), though success is neither universal nor guaranteed, with group-level intervention shown to have negative effect in a small scale (n=16) study (D. Foster, Linehan, & Lawson, 2014). Other studies have sought to understand this negative effect, with suggestions that "freeriding", conflict, or differing social norms, may be explanatory factors (Bedwell et al, 2014).…”