Making the smart meter social promotes long-term energy conservation

Abstract

Managing demand for energy is becoming increasingly important for efforts to shift toward more sustainable lifestyles. Managing demand for energy involves changes in human behaviour, and can be achieved through more efficient uses of technology, and through conservation. Feedback is often cited as a critical tool to promote energy conservation and efficiency, but recent studies in behavioural science suggest that feedback alone may not be enough to promote lasting changes in behaviour. As an alternative, recent studies have shown the effectiveness of providing residents with normative feedback, rather than simple personal feedback. The current study analyses the impact of real-time feedback on residential electricity consumption over a two-year period. Results showed that when framed as a social comparison, feedback resulted in long-term reductions in household electricity consumption. Importantly, greater reductions were observed for households that identified more strongly with the normative referent group. Theoretical implications of the findings for behavioural science and the corresponding practical implications for fostering long-term sustainable behaviours are discussed.

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

“…For example, Graffeo et al [38] found that Israeli households who were provided with an in-group normative feedback message (from the same neighborhood) decreased their energy consumption more so than those who received an out-group normative feedback message (from another city). As we attempt to promote the large-scale uptake of a smart energy device, this study refers to a broader in-group norm (i.e., households in the US) as an effective referent group [10].…”

“…Such a smart energy device allows individuals to reduce their energy use and eventually begin practicing more energy conservation behaviors (e.g., reducing the temperature and amount of heat consumed, using fewer household appliances). Indeed, previous literature has shown that providing households with a smart energy device can lead to a decrease in energy consumption [9,10]. Notably, some authors have suggested that using such devices merely result in short-term energy reductions [11,12].…”

“…However, providing households with real-time personal feedback (i.e., own kWh consumption) and personal feedback coupled with cost information did not lead to a decrease in energy consumption. Even more, a recent study by De Domenicis et al [10] showed that providing households with normative feedback through a smart energy device was found to be effective in promoting both short and long-term (i.e., two years) energy reductions. Hence, smart energy devices can be an effective tool to promote sustained reductions in household energy use; however, the effectiveness of such devices depends on how feedback is framed [10].…”

“…Even more, a recent study by De Domenicis et al [10] showed that providing households with normative feedback through a smart energy device was found to be effective in promoting both short and long-term (i.e., two years) energy reductions. Hence, smart energy devices can be an effective tool to promote sustained reductions in household energy use; however, the effectiveness of such devices depends on how feedback is framed [10]. Nevertheless, research on how individuals can be convinced to purchase such a device remains scarce [7].…”

“…Social norm interventions are built upon social identity theory [19], which asserts that people who strongly identify with a social group (in-group) may be more likely to act in accordance with the group's norms. As such, the use of normative information in communication messages is most influential when it refers to the appropriate in-group with which one identifies [10,20]. As we attempt to achieve a large-scale uptake of the general population's adoption of smart energy devices, the current study employed a broader in-group norm to encourage the desired behavior-that is, households in the US (the study respondents were also US citizens).…”