Synonyms
Definitions
Economic theory of customer preference describes consumer behavior as a “set of activities prospective customers undertake in searching, selecting, valuing, assessing, supplying and using of products and services in order to satisfy their needs and desires” (Čavoški and Markovíc 2015).
When it comes to research in the field of energy consumption and energy efficiency, there is a lack of common understanding of what consumer behavior is, since it is strongly related to the technical, economic, sociological, and psychological models applied to understand how and why people perform energy-related actions, and to the disciplines which investigate these actions. Hence, consumer behavior might be referred, among others, as occupant behavior and energy behavior.
Occupant behaviorhas been referred as a set of “observable actions or reactions of a person in response to external or internal stimuli, or respectively actions...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
References
Abrahamse W, Steg L, Vlek C, Rothengatter T (2005) A review of intervention studies aimed at household energy conservation. J Environ Psychol 25:273–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2005.08.002
Abreu JM, Câmara Pereira F, Ferrão P (2012) Using pattern recognition to identify habitual behavior in residential electricity consumption. Energ Buildings 49:479–487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2012.02.044
Andersen RV, Toftum J, Andersen KK, Olesen BW (2009) Survey of occupant behaviour and control of indoor environment in Danish dwellings. Energ Buildings 41:11–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2008.07.004
Barbu AD, Griffiths N, Morton G (2013) Achieving energy efficiency through behavioural change. what does it take? https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/achieving-energy-efficiency-through-behaviour/file. Accessed 21 Sept 2018
Ben H, Steemers K (2018) Household archetypes and behavioural patterns in UK domestic energy use. Energ Effic 11:761–771. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-017-9609-1
Carlsson-Kanyama A, Lindén A-L (2007) Energy efficiency in residences – challenges for women and men in the North. Energy Policy 35:2163–2172. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENPOL.2006.06.018
Čavoški S, Markovíc A (2015) Analysis of customer behaviour and online retailers strategies using the agent-based simulation. Manag J Theory Prac Manag 20:13–24. https://doi.org/10.7595/management.fon.2015.0031
D’Oca S, Corgnati SP, Buso T (2014a) Smart meters and energy savings in Italy: determining the effectiveness of persuasive communication in dwellings. Energy Res Soc Sci 3:131–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2014.07.015
D’Oca S, Fabi V, Corgnati SP, Andersen RK (2014b) Effect of thermostat and window opening occupant behavior models on energy use in homes. Build Simul 7:683–694. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-014-0191-6
D’Oca S, Hong T, Langevin J (2018) The human dimensions of energy use in buildings: a review. Renew Sust Energ Rev 81:731–742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.08.019
De Meester T, Marique AF, De Herde A, Reiter S (2013) Impacts of occupant behaviours on residential heating consumption for detached houses in a temperate climate in the northern part of Europe. Energ Buildings 57:313–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2012.11.005
Delzendeh E, Wu S, Lee A, Zhou Y (2017) The impact of occupants’ behaviours on building energy analysis: a research review. Renew Sust Energ Rev 80:1061–1071. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.264
Engvall K, Lampa E, Levin P et al (2014) Interaction between building design, management, household and individual factors in relation to energy use for space heating in apartment buildings. Energ Buildings 81:457–465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.06.051
Fabi V, Andersen RV, Corgnati S, Olesen BW (2012) Occupants’ window opening behaviour: a literature review of factors influencing occupant behaviour and models. Build Environ 58:188–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BUILDENV.2012.07.009
Feng X, Yan D, Yu R, Gao Y (2017) Investigation and modelling of the centralized solar domestic hot water system in residential buildings. Build Simul 10:87–96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-016-0315-2
Frederiks ER, Stenner K, Hobman EV (2015) Household energy use: applying behavioural economics to understand consumer decision-making and behaviour. Renew Sust Energ Rev 41:1385–1394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.09.026
Gram-Hanssen K (2010) Residential heat comfort practices: understanding users. Build Res Inf 38:175–186. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613210903541527
Grønhøj A, Thøgersen J (2011) Feedback on household electricity consumption: learning and social influence processes. Int J Consum Stud 35:138–145. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2010.00967.x
Guerra-Santin O, Silvester S (2016) Development of Dutch occupancy and heating profiles for building simulation. Build Res Inf:1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2016.1160563
Guerra-Santin O, Itard L, Visscher H (2009) The effect of occupancy and building characteristics on energy use for space and water heating in Dutch residential stock. Energ Buildings 41:1223–1232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2009.07.002
Hayles CS, Dean M (2015) Social housing tenants, climate change and sustainable living: a study of awareness, behaviours and willingness to adapt. Sustain Cities Soc 17:35–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2015.03.007
International Energy Agency (2016) Energy in Buildings and communities programme. Total energy use in buildings: Analysis and evaluation methods (Annex 53). Project summary report. http://www.iea-ebc.org/Data/publications/EBC_PSR_Annex53.pdf. Accessed 3 Aug 2018
International Energy Agency DSM Energy Efficiency (2014) Task 24 phase I – closing the loop: behaviour change in DSM – from theory to practice. http://www.ieadsm.org/task/task-24-phase-1/#section-2. Accessed 30 July 2018
International Energy Agency EBCP (2013) Final report annex 53. Total energy use in buildings Analysis and evaluation methods. http://www.iea-ebc.org/Data/publications/EBC_Annex_53_Main_Report.pdf. Accessed 2 Aug 2018
Kowsari R, Zerriffi H (2011) Three dimensional energy profile: a conceptual framework for assessing household energy use. Energy Policy 39:7505–7517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2011.06.030
Lehner M, Mont O, Heiskanen E (2016) Nudging – a promising tool for sustainable consumption behaviour? J Clean Prod 134:166–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.11.086
Lindén AL, Carlsson-Kanyama A, Eriksson B (2006) Efficient and inefficient aspects of residential energy behaviour: what are the policy instruments for change? Energy Policy 34:1918–1927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2005.01.015
Lopes MAR, Antunes CH, Martins N (2012) Energy behaviours as promoters of energy efficiency: a 21st century review. Renew Sust Energ Rev 16:4095–4104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.03.034
Martínez-Espiñeira R, García-Valiñas MA, Nauges C (2014) Households’ pro-environmental habits and investments in water and energy consumption: determinants and relationships. J Environ Manag 133:174–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.12.002
Martinsson J, Lundqvist LJ, Sundström A (2011) Energy saving in Swedish households. The (relative) importance of environmental attitudes. Energy Policy 39:5182–5191. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENPOL.2011.05.046
Masoso OT, Grobler LJ (2010) The dark side of occupants’ behaviour on building energy use. Energ Buildings 42:173–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENBUILD.2009.08.009
Mora D, Carpino C, De Simone M (2017) Energy consumption of residential buildings and occupancy profiles. A case study in Mediterranean climatic conditions. Energ Effic. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-017-9553-0
OECD (2014) Greening household behaviour: overview from the 2011 survey, Revised edition. OECD studies on environmental policy and household behaviour. OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264214651-en
Poortinga W, Steg L, Vlek C, Wiersma G (2003) Household preferences for energy-saving measures: a conjoint analysis. J Econ Psychol 24:49–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-4870(02)00154-X
Ren X, Yan D, Hong T (2015) Data mining of space heating system performance in affordable housing. Build Environ 89:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.02.009
Romero RA, Bojórquez G, Corral M, Gallegos R (2013) Energy and the occupant’s thermal perception of low-income dwellings in hot-dry climate: Mexicali, México. Renew Energy 49:267–270. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.RENENE.2012.01.017
Santangelo A, Tondelli S (2017) Occupant behaviour and building renovation of the social housing stock: current and future challenges. Energ Buildings 145:276–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.04.019
Santangelo A, Yan D, Feng X, Tondelli S (2018) Renovation strategies for the Italian public housing stock: applying building energy simulation and occupant behaviour modelling to support decision-making process. Energ Buildings 167:269–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.02.028
Schaffrin A, Reibling N (2015) Household energy and climate mitigation policies: investigating energy practices in the housing sector. Energy Policy 77:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2014.12.002
Stazi F, Naspi F, D’Orazio M (2017) A literature review on driving factors and contextual events influencing occupants’ behaviours in buildings. Build Environ 118:40–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2017.03.021
Steemers K, Yun GY (2009) Household energy consumption: a study of the role of occupants. Build Res Inf 37:625–637. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613210903186661
Steg L (2008) Promoting household energy conservation. Energy Policy 36:4449–4453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2008.09.027
Stephenson J, Barton B, Carrington G et al (2010) Energy cultures: a framework for understanding energy behaviours. Energy Policy 38:6120–6129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.05.069
United Nations (2017) New urban agenda. http://habitat3.org/wp-content/uploads/NUA-English.pdf. Accessed 1 Aug 2018
Van den Brom P, Meijer A, Visscher H (2018) Performance gaps in energy consumption: household groups and building characteristics. Build Res Inf 46:54–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2017.1312897
Van Raaij WF, Verhallen TMM (1983a) Patterns of residential energy behavior. J Econ Psychol 4:85–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-4870(83)90047-8
Van Raaij WF, Verhallen TMM (1983b) A behavioral model of residential energy use. J Econ Psychol 3:39–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-4870(83)90057-0
Wilson C, Dowlatabadi H (2007) Models of decision making and residential energy use. Ann Rev Environ Resour 32:169–203. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.energy.32.053006.141137
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (2007) Energy efficiency in buildings: business realities and opportunities: summary report. https://www.wbcsd.org/Programs/Cities-and-Mobility/Energy-Efficiency-in-Buildings/Resources/Business-realities-and-opportunities-Summary. Accessed 3 Aug 2018
Yan D, Hong T (2018) Definition and simulation of occupant behavior in buildings. Annex 66 Final Report. International Energy Agency
Yan D, O’Brien W, Hong T et al (2015) Occupant behavior modeling for building performance simulation: current state and future challenges. Energ Buildings 107:264–278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2015.08.032
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Santangelo, A., Tondelli, S. (2020). Consumer Behavior in Buildings Energy Use. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P., Wall, T. (eds) Affordable and Clean Energy. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71057-0_40-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71057-0_40-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-71057-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-71057-0
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences