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Beyond the meter: Enabling better home energy management
... It is suggested that the most effective forms of feedback are likely to include products (e.g. in-home-displays, meters, etc.) and services (targeted and tailored recommendations, home energy assessments, data compilation, etc.) personalised and contextualised to the consumer to provide meaning and motivation [25] [26]. However, information by itself is insufficient to motivate consumers to conserve energy but has been found to work well with other instruments like, goal setting, commitment, financial incentives and engaging residents in small, actionable steps on "how to" conserve [20] [26]. ...
... in-home-displays, meters, etc.) and services (targeted and tailored recommendations, home energy assessments, data compilation, etc.) personalised and contextualised to the consumer to provide meaning and motivation [25] [26]. However, information by itself is insufficient to motivate consumers to conserve energy but has been found to work well with other instruments like, goal setting, commitment, financial incentives and engaging residents in small, actionable steps on "how to" conserve [20] [26]. Information also needs to be supplied by a trusted and credible source [27]. ...
... Usually, this type of behaviours does not change, unless a modification in the external circumstances occurs that breaks that routine behaviour (Fischer, 2008;Gynther, et al., 2011). Usage-related behaviours that decrease the use of energy and contribute to achieve energy savings are also named curtailment (Black, et al., 1985;Breukers, et al., 2011;Gardner & Stern, 2002) or conservation behaviours (Ehrhardt-Martinez et al., 2011;Kok et al., 2011). Very often energy behaviours are studied together with non-energy related environmental behaviours (Gadenne et al., 2011;Poortinga et al., 2004;Stern, 2000;Thøgersen, 2006). ...
... Adapted from (Abrahamse & Steg, 2009;Barr et al., 2005;Dietz et al., 2009;Ehrhardt-Martinez, et al., 2011;Ek & Söderholm, 2010;Kok, et al., 2011;Leighty & Meier, 2011;Mullaly, 1998;Ouyang & Hokao, 2009;Thøgersen & Grønhøj, 2010;Woods, 2008) If analysed from an energy service point of view, the usage-related energy behaviours may be divided into five categories: ...
... Earlier work [6] showed that retrieving feedback regarding end-users' energy consumption could affect positively the overall impact on energy efficiency. An average decrease from 4 to 20 % of energy consumption has been found in the literature [12]. ...
... In the second stage, a feedback system was introduced in the model in order to simulate the effect of providing data information to people using self-comparison or a target based system. The simulation presented a decrease of the overall electricity consumption by 8 %, which is coherent with the findings from Ehrhard-Martinez [12]. In the last stage, the automation system allowing the direct control on the washing appliances managed to decrease the energy consumption by 1 %. Figure 4 b. ...
This paper presents a model of a detached house in which home automation has been progressively introduced into the building. The model integrates different factors related to end-user behaviour and decision-making regarding the management of electrical energy consumption, and integrates a gradual end-user response to home automation measures. The presented model aims to show the potential economic benefits obtained by the modelled changes of end-users’ behaviours within a smart energy network based energy system. Matlab/Simulink is used as a simulation tool for representing the model in which a 10 year database of Nordic climatic data has been built in, on an hourly and half hourly basis. The modelled building environment comprises twenty-one appliances and two lighting systems with different power rates. Each appliance and light bulb is individually measured. The feedback methods assessed were self-comparison, inter-comparison, and a target based system. The effect of home automation on energy consumption at the building level is assessed, and the importance of end-users in energy reduction is highlighted. The model categorises “green” and “brown” energy users and integrates their behavioural profiles within the end-user response. As part of a smarter electricity management system, the home automation system is able to interact with other buildings, either in terms of geographic or building infrastructure similarities. This will enable taking or modifying decisions at any given time, thus contributing to the local flattening of power demand. Such systems must work hand-in-hand with the grid operator.
... Smart grids, for example, are currently used to optimise energy systems through more accurate monitoring of the infrastructure allowing suppliers to shift energy flows to satisfy peaks of demand, cope with the intermittences caused by renewable sources and giving consumers more control over their energy consumption (Ehrhardt-Martinez et al., 2011). The expectation of energy providers has been that smart grids and smart meters, by virtue of their data-driven affordances, could help influence consumption behaviour and empower individuals to become more rational and self-aware about their 12 energy consumption habits (Silvast et al., 2017). ...
... De igual manera, diversos estudios han mostrado que sólo con brindar a los usuarios el consumo desagregado de la energía y proveer retroalimentación frente a su gasto energético se logra reducir el consumo hasta en un 18%, en especial debido a que la información suministrada al usuario final sobre los patrones de consumo propicia la gestión individual de la demanda [9], [10]. Es por esto, que la sub-medición por circuito es una herramienta importante para el uso racional y eficiente de la energía eléctrica. ...
Este documento presenta el concepto de un hogar inteligente, sus componentes y sus aplicaciones desde el punto de vista de ahorro y gestión energética, describiendo las características y el funcionamiento de la sub-medición por circuito y el conmutador inteligente de potencia, al igual que su integración con el hogar inteligente. Asimismo, se muestra la reglamentación y normativa colombiana que promueve el uso racional y eficiente de energía, la utilización de fuentes no convencionales de energía eléctrica y los primeros pasos hacia la implementación de las redes inteligentes en Colombia. De igual forma, se presenta la topología e implementación de un sistema de distribución residencial, el cual permite controlar el flujo de energía entre diferentes fuentes de energía y las cargas de una vivienda. Finalmente, se analiza el comportamiento de la tensión en las cargas ante diferentes escenarios de conexión, observando la importancia de realizar adecuadamente las conmutaciones en el IPS.
... These studies indicate that the reduction ranges from 3% to 20%. Daily/weekly feedback when combined with goal settings even result in higher energy savings [15] SMI has been exploited extensively to develop techniques for energy demand forecasting in buildings [16]. However, artificial intelligence techniques and artificial neural network (ANN) models have received greater attention in recent years [17]. ...
The buildings that aren’t “connected” are the same they were decades ago and have retained fundamentally the same purpose i.e. to provide shelter, temperature control, and safety at the same efficiency level. Globally the built environments account for significant energy use and equivalent production of carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon footprint. Growing concerns about safety, comfort, global warming, and climate change are leading to technological evolution, that will make the buildings smart, more comfortable, and nearly zero energy buildings. The building architectures are obviously smarter today than they were a few years ago and will continue to do so as the people become more energy aware and efficiency focused. Smart architectures and smart technologies are effective means to make buildings more comfortable, secure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint. Smart metering, smart grid, energy storage, and smart energy management system are some of the technologies that find their use in smart architectures along with ubiquitous digital technologies. These evolving technologies being relatively new can indeed make the buildings smart, intelligent, energy efficient and environmentally sustainable which will attract higher rentals and more resale values in the near future. For commercial real estate, the savings can be impressive. A reduction in energy use is equivalent to an increase in building’s asset value and net operating income. This paper provides a contemporary look at the potential of smart architectures and evolving smart energy technologies to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint in built environments. The scope of this paper is limited to the brief overview of these technologies and their applications.
... The results show that one of the values of the incentives occurred when individual household energy reduction became a conversation in the community thus keeping electricity demand reduction in the front of people's minds. This has been recognised by Ehrhardt-Martinez and colleagues [47] as leading to increasing focus by members of the community. Incentives provided the necessary motivation and impetus for Magnetic Island residents to try and use new energy efficient technology. ...
Internationally, policy makers have been trying to find ways of changing residential electricity use through improved energy efficiency or by means of behaviour change. Drawing on evidence from an Australian project undertaken in a community of approximately 2200 residents, this paper reviews how a combination of interventions have successfully reduced electricity demand levels to below that of pre-intervention levels. Employing a qualitative methodology and using this successful project as the basis of a case study, this research explores the effectiveness of the electricity demand reduction interventions from the perspective of residents from 22 households. By combining and tailoring interventions to the specific needs and motivations of individual householders, this study demonstrates how a multi-pronged and integrated approach can be effective in addressing the multi-faceted challenge of energy efficiency and behaviour change. The experience with this Australian residential community in achieving an ongoing reduction in electricity use is rare and the findings from the research are internationally relevant in informing policy and practice directions for achieving government-set lower carbon emission targets. This research has important implications for addressing issues related to total consumption and peak demand reduction, both financial and environmental, for the benefit of energy providers and consumers.
... For example, in one Danish study, visible actions such as food consumption were more prevalent than reductions in home energy consumption (Pedersen 2000). Research has found some exceptions to this pattern when people are motivated by status considerations, such as the purchase of Energy Star appliances that are visible to visitors, or when they are given feedback on their energy consumption (Ehrhardt-Martinez 2010;Ehrhardt-Martinez et al. 2011). In a study of energy use in Manila (Sahakian and Steinberger 2011), status seeking was found to be important in shaping cooling habits, for example in enabling some people to adopt high-status Western fashions that are not comfortable in tropical weather, or to host family gatherings in cooled rooms. ...
... Usage behaviours refer to the day-to-day usage of buildings and equipment therein installed, and may be characterised by its frequency, duration, and intensity. Usage behaviours decreasing the use of energy and contributing to achieve energy savings are also designated as curtailment or conservation behaviours [9][10][11][12][13][14]. The management and provision of energy resources comprises activities such as planning or time shifting energy usage, generating energy through local renewable resources, and storing or trading selfproduced electricity, which is increasingly important in smart grid contexts [7]. ...
Abstract Energy behaviours represent an important underexploited resource in the context of promoting end-use energy efficiency, namely in the residential sector. However, addressing the multidimensional nature of energy behaviours is a complex task and more effective behaviour change interventions and policies grounded on comprehensive approaches are required. An integrative intervention to explore the influence of usage energy behaviours on energy consumption was developed through an innovative combination of modelling techniques. A real-world case study was utilised to generate contextualised understanding. This intervention supported problem structuring methods as pertinent tools to be utilised in complex human-centred energy research, such as energy behaviours, by enabling the development of tailored methodologies which minimise the human bias. It further confirmed real-world behaviour change interventions should involve the different energy stakeholders and be designed to be flexible and adaptive. Results confirmed variables associated with different dimensions significantly impact energy consumption. In this case study the promotion of residential energy efficiency includes both structural and energy behavioural actions, namely a better insulation of the dwellings and encouraging specific usage energy behaviours. These results support the need to consider an integrative perspective when addressing energy behaviours and designing effective behavioural change interventions and energy efficiency policies.
... Some studies have found that certain types of households respond better to feedback than others, but a considerable amount of uncertainty still exists over how different households will respond to increased level of information [30]. In a recent study of 21 households Wallenborn and colleagues [31] found that electricity feedback through smart meters could change electricity perception but only in households already interested or involved in energy savings or willing to understand the information provided. ...
This paper reviews electricity consumption feedback literature to explore the potential of electricity feedback to affect residential consumers’ electricity usage patterns. The review highlights a substantial amount of literature covering the debate over the effectiveness of different feedback criteria to residential customer acceptance and overall conservation and peak demand reduction. Researchers studying the effects of feedback on everyday energy use have observed substantial variation in effect size, both within and between studies. Although researchers still continue to question the types of feedback that are most effective in encouraging conservation and peak load reduction, some trends have emerged. These include that feedback be received as quickly as possible to the time of consumption; be related to a standard; be clear and meaningful and where possible both direct and indirect feedback be customised to the customer. In general, the literature finds that feedback can reduce electricity consumption in homes by 5 to 20 percent, but that significant gaps remain in our knowledge of the effectiveness and cost benefit of feedback.
It is estimated that one in three off-grid households globally will use off-grid solar by 2020; however, the off-grid system still suffers from problems, the main ones being capacity limitation and ensuring energy efficiency (EE) amid operation and maintenance or user errors, a topic that in the past has often been overlooked. This study proposes a low-cost, real-time, SMS tool that informs off-grid households of their electricity consumption through short text messages on their phones. Informing users of their energy consumption is anticipated to enhance energy awareness, thereby influencing users’ behaviors. Besides awareness, many energy users often lack enough knowledge and skills to reduce their energy consumption. The algorithm collects data from three main parts of the solar-system, namely power generation, storage, and consumption. This chapter demonstrates that it is possible to avail consumption information timely to off-grid households and this could be used to improve EE and user awareness in general.
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