Behaviour and Energy Savings in Residential Dwellings

Panel: Human and Social Dimensions of Energy Use: Trends and their Implications

Authors:
Ron Sahota, BC Hydro
Iris Sulyma, Power Smart, BC Hydro
Ken Tiedemann, BC Hydro
Jack Habart, Habart & Associates

Abstract

Research on energy savings in residential dwellings has been dominated by an engineering economic paradigm, in which economic agents adopt practices and technologies that are cost effective. This paper, along with its companion paper on behaviour and energy savings in businessi, develops an alternate model for energy savings behaviour. It presents the results of an initial methodology, and reports on a detailed behaviour study done with BC Hydro residential customers. The paper uses data that was collected from surveys of 1,000 residential customers as a part of the Conservation Potential Review (CPR) developed by BC Hydro in 2006 and 2007.

The surveys focused on several main residential energy end uses, including indoor and outdoor lighting, space heating, hot water usage, refrigeration and plug loads. For each end use, respondents were asked a series of scaled questions about their satisfaction levels; their ability to change or modify; and the extent to which they performed energy efficient actions and behaviours. The results of the data collected showed that modifying uses of lighting, temperature settings, hot water, and plug loads were particularly effective means of achieving energy savings for the residential sector.