Using social dynamics to explain uptake in energy saving measures: Lessons from space conditioning interventions in Japan and California

Abstract

The authors ran a pair of interventions to encourage passive cooling measures in two sustainable energy communities: E-Sogo in Japan and West Village in the United States. The interventions used proven levers for encouraging behavior change (among adult household members), but yielded modest results. Traditional methods of evaluating intervention effectiveness do not reveal why responses are weak, so the authors examined participants' experiences using qualitative data collected during the intervention. Three critical flaws were identified; namely, the interventions had targeted a single household member, promoted measures that impact other members, and failed to support coordination within the household. To understand why those shortcomings led to weak results, the study examines the intersection of the social attributes of cooling measures (i.e., locus of decision and impact on others) and the prevailing social dynamics within households. A game-theoretical model is developed to illustrate how the varied combinations of measure attributes and social dynamics can yield different outcomes across households. By examining the failures of commonly accepted social science methods, the study sheds light on the intersection of social dynamics and household energy practices, a line of inquiry which, when extended further, could make energy interventions more effective and socially valid.

Social dynamics of energy behaviour

“…Even seemingly mundane daily interactions such as a discussion between spouses about whether the house feels hot or cold has energy implications if it results in a thermostat adjustment 1 . Interventions to reduce home energy consumption may be ineffective if they do not consider the social dynamics involved in communicating about and coordinating home heating or cooling behaviour amongst housemates 2 .…”

Office Occupants’ Perspective Dealing with Energy Flexibility: A Large-Scale Survey in the Province of Bolzano

“…The quantitative survey was chosen for some of its specificities. The goal of this survey was to investigate some of the socio-demographic characteristics, desire, beliefs, and more general perspectives of end-users about smart grids, meters and flexible energy solutions, starting from a set of factors already relevant for other energy topics [47]. This study needed a standardized tool for collecting data about some known factors related to the acceptance of energy solutions and reaching a high percentage of people working in the public offices in South Tyrol.…”

“…The gender often explains differences in individual choices as well as in collective choices or practices reproduced within a group (e.g., family practices). Indeed, the gender is a variable approximating social dynamics and relationships within a group (e.g., household or office colleagues) [46,47]. Therefore, it is not a simple matter of gender, but the analysis of the association between gender and the energy topics is relevant for starting to investigate how people perceive and use energy and technology, based on choices made within a group.…”

“…The actual research is mainly focused on residential buildings [41,47], while the workplaces-having the same gap-are less investigated [43,48]. The flexibility that office employees are asked for is referred to their capability to adapt their everyday routine in the office to fit in their energy use with the renewable energy production.…”

Nudges for nudgers

“…But many behaviours that could reduce home energy use, such as thermostat settings, necessarily affect all members of a household. Thus individual action to save energy may be constrained by social dynamics, such as the desire to avoid interpersonal conflict 8 . A successful intervention might therefore be defined as one that, in addition to reducing energy consumption, also encourages cooperation among housemates, enhancing social cohesion.…”