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Culture, conformity, and carbon? A multi-country analysis of heating and cooling practices in office buildings

Authors :
Chen, Chien-fei
Hong, Tianzhen
de Rubens, Gerardo Zarazua
Yilmaz, Selin
Bandurski, Karol
Bélafi, Zsófia Deme
De Simone, Marilena
Bavaresco, Mateus Vinícius
Wang, Yu
Liu, Pei-ling
Barthelmes, Verena M.
Adams, Jacqueline
D'Oca, Simona
Przybylski, Łukasz
Source :
Energy Research & Social Science; March 2020, Vol. 61 Issue: 1
Publication Year :
2020

Abstract

This study investigates human-building interaction in office spaces across multiple countries including Brazil, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, the United States, and Taiwan. We analyze social-psychological, contextual, and demographic factors to explain cross-country differences in adaptive thermal actions (i.e. cooling and heating behaviors) and conformity to the norms of sharing indoor environmental control features, an indicator of energy consumption. Specifically, personal adjustments such as putting on extra clothes are generally preferred over technological solutions such as adjusting thermostats in reaction to thermal discomfort. Social-psychological factors including attitudes, perceived behavioral control, injunctive norms, and perceived impact of indoor environmental quality on work productivity influence occupants’ intention to conform to the norms of sharing environmental control features. Lastly, accessibility to environmental control features, office type, gender, and age are also important factors. These findings demonstrate the roles of social-psychological and certain contextual factors in occupants’ interactions with building design as well as their behavior of sharing environmental control features, both of which significantly influence building energy consumption, and thus, broader decarbonization.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
22146296
Volume :
61
Issue :
1
Database :
Supplemental Index
Journal :
Energy Research & Social Science
Publication Type :
Periodical
Accession number :
ejs51760298
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2019.101344