Reducing Standby Consumption in Households: By Means of Communication or Technology?

Kirsten Gram-Hanssen, Danish Building Research Institute
Erik Gudbjerg, Lokalenergi A/S

Keywords

Abstract

This paper deals with standby consumption of information and communication technologies in private homes. The main issue is if more information campaigns are needed or if the focus should be on technologies that help to switch off standby mode. The project reported is a research project with the purpose of investigating households' standby behavior and the project design is thus not directly transferable as a broader program. However, the project is designed to uncover knowledge on households' standby behavior which can inform development of such programs. The paper presents an analysis of a research project where 30 families for one year had standby consumption from information and communication technologies simultaneously measured. In the first phase of the project, consumption was just measured, in the next phase families were informed about how to reduce standby consumption, whereas in the last phase the families were provided with technological solutions to help reduce standby consumption. In the end of the project in-depth interviews with ten of the families were conducted, focusing on practices and understandings in everyday life with relation to standby consumption. Analysis showed that one third of the standby consumption could be reduced by means of communication and another third by means of technical devices. The last third of the standby consumption remained untouched in spite of all efforts in the project. This last third was mainly found in families with older children, where for instance several computers were connected to the same internet access, or other types of connected electronics.