Exploring the role of normative, financial and environmental information in promoting uptake of energy efficient technologies

Hafner, Rebecca J.; Elmes, David G.; Read, Daniel; White, Mathew P.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.03.004

Cited by 37 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…This implies that increase knowledge and awareness do not necessarily cause behavior modification, because knowledge is not a motivator for engagement in the desired behavior. However, a lack of knowledge and awareness might be a barrier [106]. Additionally, changing old habits is difficult when the motivation is not too high.…”

Section: Energy-saving Estimation Due To Behavior Modificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Performance Gap in Energy-Efficient Office Buildings: How the Occupants Can Help?

et al. 2020

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Rising demand and limited production of electricity are instrumental in spreading the awareness of cautious energy use, leading to the global demand for energy-efficient buildings. This compels the construction industry to smartly design and effectively construct these buildings to ensure energy performance as per design expectations. However, the research tells a different tale: energy-efficient buildings have performance issues. Among several reasons behind the energy performance gap, occupant behavior is critical. The occupant behavior is dynamic and changes over time under formal and informal influences, but the traditional energy simulation programs assume it as static throughout the occupancy. Effective behavioral interventions can lead to optimized energy use. To find out the energy-saving potential based on simulated modified behavior, this study gathers primary building and occupant data from three energy-efficient office buildings in major cities of Pakistan and categorizes the occupants into high, medium, and low energy consumers. Additionally, agent-based modeling simulates the change in occupant behavior under the direct and indirect interventions over a three-year period. Finally, energy savings are quantified to highlight a 25.4% potential over the simulation period. This is a unique attempt at quantifying the potential impact on energy usage due to behavior modification which will help facility managers to plan and execute necessary interventions and software experts to develop effective tools to model the dynamic usage behavior. This will also help policymakers in devising subtle but effective behavior training strategies to reduce energy usage. Such behavioral retrofitting comes at a much lower cost than the physical or technological retrofit options to achieve the same purpose and this study establishes the foundation for it.

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Section: Energy-saving Estimation Due To Behavior Modificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Performance Gap in Energy-Efficient Office Buildings: How the Occupants Can Help?

et al. 2020

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“…Accordingly, the authors suggested that normative information is more powerful than the benefit type because the latter solely affected their participants' intention to install a heat pump differently when normative information was not provided. Given normative information's powerful influence, further research on the optimal combination of various benefit types with a normative message is necessary [27,29]. We suggest that the effectiveness of normative information combined with either a (financial) self-benefit or an environmental-benefit frame may depend upon how individuals are oriented.…”

Section: Descriptive Norms In a Self-frame Versus An Environmental-bementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several authors have highlighted the fact that one can tap into these diverging motivations by framing messages in which behaviors or products offer individuals either a self-benefit (e.g., cost savings or a positive impact on one's health) or an environmental benefit (e.g., clean air, lower CO 2 emissions, or protection for future generations). In this respect, self-benefits appear to appeal to egoistic motivations, while environmental benefits appeal to altruistic motivations [25,27,29]. Importantly, past research has suggested that one's motivation to engage in pro-environmental behavior may be related to one's self-construal.…”

Section: Descriptive Norms In a Self-frame Versus An Environmental-bementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, both benefit frames have been demonstrated to change behaviors in the desired directions, although a person's motives can influence the impact of various benefit frames [29]. In a follow-up study, Hafner et al [27] explored the interplay of providing participants with descriptive normative information (e.g., 'the vast majority of people in your neighborhood have installed the energy-efficient heat pump') combined with either a financial-or environmental-benefit frame to convince individuals to install a heat pump. They incorporated information on cost reduction (i.e., financial frame) and emission savings (i.e., environmental frame) produced whilst the heat pump was in use.…”

Section: Descriptive Norms In a Self-frame Versus An Environmental-bementioning

confidence: 99%

“…A growing body of research has demonstrated that the framing of pro-environmental behaviors as beneficial to the self (e.g., monetary savings) or the environment (e.g., reduction in greenhouse gasses) has proven effective in encouraging people to perform the desired behavior [23][24][25][26]. Importantly, Hafner et al [27] explored the effect of providing normative information (versus no norm) with different benefit frames (financial versus environmental) in the context of promoting an energy-efficient product that requires a significant financial investment (i.e., a heat pump). The authors found that when normative information (versus no norm) was provided, the benefit type was irrelevant because no significant difference was identified between the various benefit frames.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Framing Descriptive Norms as Self-Benefit Versus Environmental Benefit: Self-Construal’s Moderating Impact in Promoting Smart Energy Devices

2020

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Recently, awareness has been raised concerning the importance of sustainable energy use. Nevertheless, many obstacles must be overcome to change individuals’ energy consumption habits. This study examines how a message should be framed to convince individuals to purchase a smart energy device that provides feedback on household energy use. As such, this device can assist households in adjusting their energy-wasting habits. Through two experimental studies, this paper examines how a descriptive normative message, indicating that the majority of US households have already purchased a smart energy device, can increase individuals’ intention to purchase the device. Both studies consider the moderating influence of the self-construal, which refers to individuals’ consideration of themselves as either part of a group (interdependent self-construal) or independent from others (independent self-construal). The first study (n = 231) reveals that a descriptive norm (versus no norm) leads to a higher purchase intention through an enhanced normative influence regardless of participants’ self-construal. The second study (n = 128) adds to the finding that combining a descriptive norm with a self-benefit (versus environmental) frame more strongly impacts the purchase intent of individuals with a dominant independence. No significant differences are identified between the two benefit frames’ effectiveness among individuals with a dominant interdependence.

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Green Purchasing Behavior on Social Media: A Goal-Framing Theory Perspective

Farhat

Aslam²,

Alfy³

2022

Progress in IS

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Exploring the role of normative, financial and environmental information in promoting uptake of energy efficient technologies

Cited by 37 publications

References 85 publications

The Performance Gap in Energy-Efficient Office Buildings: How the Occupants Can Help?

The Performance Gap in Energy-Efficient Office Buildings: How the Occupants Can Help?

Framing Descriptive Norms as Self-Benefit Versus Environmental Benefit: Self-Construal’s Moderating Impact in Promoting Smart Energy Devices

Green Purchasing Behavior on Social Media: A Goal-Framing Theory Perspective

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