prof. dr. d. krömker, christian dehmel slide 1 plug and pull - energy saving in private households:...

Prof. Dr. D. Krömker, Christian Dehmel Slide 1

Plug and Pull - Energy Saving in Private Households: Results from a

German Study

TRANSPOSE mid-term conference,November 2009 Münster


Research question and design

• Which factors influence energy conservation behaviour in households from the perspective of environmental psychology?

• 4 behavioural areas with high energy saving potential – Replacement of fridges– Replacement of TVs– Switching electronic devices off regularly– Replacement of electric heating systems

+ general electricity consumption patterns

• Phone survey (N=1000) + 125 participants in extra survey about electric heating systems

– Questions operationalized on basis of a behavioural model (OSA Heuristic)– Regression analysis and analysis of variance


OSA-Model

subject related variables:self-concept: - materialism - frugality - innovation - natur/environment

object related variables•Problem awareness

actionale variables:attitudespersonal norm subjective social norm self-efficacycontrol

emotions

intention/behaviour

context context

occasions

habits

beliefs:- neg./pos. consequences

- efficacy

perceived behaviouralcontrol


Results A: General electricity consumption• Dependent Variable: Electricity-efficient behaviour, index from 16 Items e.g. use of energy efficient bulbs, cooking never

without a lid, washing at low temperature scores on 5-point scale (1= strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree)

• High rate of electricity saving behaviour (M=4,14; SD=0,58)

Belief: complex and costly

Self-concept: frugal

Social context

Self-concept: natur/environment

Personal Norm

Control: feasability

Self-concept: materialism

Self-efficacy

Sex female vs. male

High school graduation high vs. low

-.158-.158

.151.151

.125.125

.115.115

.109.109

Electricity-efficient

behaviour : R²= .31-.077-.077

-.095-.095

.077.077

-.133-.133

.070.070


Results A: Intention to save electricity

• Dependent Variable: Intention to reduce energy consumption in the future scores on 5-point scale (1= strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree)

• 51% high intention, 20% undeceided, 29% no intention (M=2,62; SD=1,49)

Control: Savings are possible

Personal Norm

Belief: others will not join in

Self-efficacy

Problem awareness: I´m concerned about climate change

.205.205

.116.116

.090.090Intention to

save electricity: R²= .10

.088.088

.096.096


Results B: switching electronic devices off

• Dependent Variable: Switching electronic devices off by pulling plugs or using connection plug boards scores on 5-point scale (1= never to 5=always)

• 74% switch off always or often, 16% sometimes, 10% rarely or never

Habit to leave devices connected

Belief: less convenience

Self-concept: innovative

Self-efficacy

-.588-.588

-.233-.233

.148.148

Switching electronic

devices off : R²= .59.094.094


Results B: Intentions to pull plugs

• No systematic relation between the dependent variable „ intention to pull more plugs or use connection plug boards in the future” and predictors

• Dependent Variable: Intention that new devices will be energy-efficient ones scores on 5-point scale (1= strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree)

• 89% agree, 16% undecided, 3% disagree

Self-concept: frugal

Self-efficacy

Emotion: it´s fun to find hidden energy consuming devicesSelf-concept: natur/environment

.275.275

.227.227

.147.147

Intention to buy efficient

devices: R²= .32.163.163


Results C: Replacement of fridges

• Dependent Variable: Annual energy consumption of all fridges in kWh per year• Over 70% use more than 400 kWh p. year (A++: fridge 150l (133kWh), fridge/freezer 300l (182))

• Only 14% want to buy an energy-efficient fridge in the near futur– Those who want to buy one, are more likly to be: innovativ, in control of energy consumption, antizipate barriers in their

households

• But 94% say that the next firdge will be an energy-efficient one– Those who want to buy one the next time, are more likly to : feel that climate protection is effective and report a strong

influence of their houshold members

Occasion: Needed another fridge

Residence size

Own house or flat vs. rent

Professional education medium vs. high

.261.261

.257.257

-.207-.207

Energy consumption of

all fridges: R²= .31-.216-.216


Results D: Replacement of TVs

• Dependent Variable: Energy consumption of all TVs in Watt• Almost 70% use more than 150 Watt, 20% use more than 250 Watt (average older CRT-TV: 75 to

150 Watt)

• Only 6% want to buy an energy-efficient TV in the near futur– No systematic differences between people with high or low intention

• But 82% say that the next TV will be an energy-efficient one– Positive influence: ecological self-concept, personal norm to buy an efficient one, living in bigger residences– Barriers: no energy-effiecient TVs availabe in store and high income compared to medium income

Occasion: Needed another TV

Self-concept: materialsm

Occasion: special offer

Income: medium vs. high

.323.323

.186.186

.164.164

Energy consumption of

all TVs: R²= .25.179.179


Results E: Replacement of electric heating systems • Only 6% of all participants (N=125, all owning their residences) want to replace their electric

heating system in the near future• Persons with a moral obligation to replace their electric heating system are more likly to do so

• Group comparison (univariate analysis of variance): People, who decided to replace their heating system :

– Are younger– Have a higher income– Think other heating systems are cheaper over time– Feel guilty about not doing more to protect the environmnet– Think they can afford the replacement at the moment– Think the investment will pay off– Think not it is the next generations business


Resume

• Manifold predictors influence intention and behaviour • Always different sets of predicitors influence the various

intentions and behaviours• Good levels of explained variance (25% to 59%), except for most

intentions• „General electricity consumption“ and „switching electronic

devices off“ influenced mainly by predictors from the OSA-Modell

• Electricity consumption by fridges and TVs influenced mainly by beneficial occasions and socio-demographic factors


Implications and energy saving potential• General electricity consumption:

• Communicative strategies can adress influencal factors and support behavioral changes• The strategies should consider the social processes important for behavioural change and therefore

could, for instance, be applied by local or regional actors such as consumer advice centres

• Switching electronic devices off: • Habits and anticipated loss of comfort hard to adress, though possible with communicative strategies

as mentioned above • Focus on technical solutions (e.g. less stand-by losses)

• Electric heating systems:• Replacement must be cost efficient, but also moral responsibility important• At the moment it´s not cost-efficient ot replace electric heating systems in small houses in Germany• Communicative strategies to adress responsibility and financial incentives to foster replacement


Implications and energy saving potential• Fridges:

• ecological and economical reasonable to exchange devices older than 5 years• Two big fridges (300l) A++ need less than 400 kWh per year: 70% of the sample

use moreHigh energy saving potential through exchange• High motivation to buy energy-efficient fridges• Communicative strategies to support exchange of fridges soon• Bonus programs could stimulate exchange

• TVs:• 66% of the sample use CRT-TVs, LCD-technology much more efficiant• But: „only“ 50% of the sample use TVs smaller than 70cm screen size• Electricity consumption is not associated with TVs (no labels) and energy-efficient

TVs are not sufficiently visible in stores• Howerver, bonus programs may be ineffective without energy labels and

communicative strategies to raise awareness applied at the same time


ContactDörthe Krömker, University of Kassel, [email protected]

Christian Dehmel, University of Muenster, [email protected]

prof. dr. d. krömker, christian dehmel slide 1 plug and pull - energy saving in private households:...

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