Beyond Behaviour Change Forum 16 November 2010

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Tobias Conley
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1 Beyond Behaviour Change Forum 16 November 2010 Going beyond behaviour change Dr Yolande Strengers, Centre for Design, RMIT University

showerheads Energy efficient light bulbs The low hanging fruit Efficiency and system changes (big ticket items)

2 Behaviour change Curtailment behaviours (everyday green actions to conserve resources) Shorter showers Using cold water in the washing machine Turning off lights Turning off standby power Efficiency retrofit behaviours Low-flow showerheads Energy efficient light bulbs The low hanging fruit Efficiency and system changes (big ticket items) Install solar panels Install water tanks Install efficient appliances RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 2

3 Behavioural strategies: bypassing the individual (technology & efficiency) Making appliances more efficient installing efficient devices changing supply systems RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 3

4 Behavioural strategies: targeting the individual and their resource use Information/ feedback litres/ pricing/ bills Education Resource management problems/ changing attitudes & beliefs Incentives and disincentives Fines, rewards, pricing etc. Rules and laws Water restrictions Preaches to the converted Assigns blame to the individual Assumption of rational, self-interested consumption RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 4

Community engagement and collective change Information/ feedback Share information Benchmarking (i.e. water bills) Incentives and disincentives Community programs, cooperative schemes.

5 Community engagement and collective change Information/ feedback Share information Benchmarking (i.e. water bills) Incentives and disincentives Community programs, cooperative schemes. Education Co-learning & social learning Rules and laws Water restrictions (social dobbing ) RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 5

6 Missing links and gaps Behaviour change Resource management The elephant in the room Everyday Normal consumption life (and and everyday practices practices) What we do and why we do it Expectations and aspirations Technology People RMIT University Apr 2010 Centre for Design 6

7 Practices and expectations are changing RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 7

8 Practices are always changing Air-conditioning usage grown from virtually nothing in the last 40 years (McCann 2006). Nearly 70% of Australian households now have one or more AC (DEWHA 2008) Showering once a day only became common in last years (Davidson 2008). Clothes washing has become more frequent over last years (Slob & Verbeek 2006) RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 8

9 Behaviour change vs. practice change Efficient technologies and supply systems New technologies; increased supply Curtailment & efficiency behaviours New practices; new expectations and aspirations Demand management & behaviour change programs Commercial interests, institutions, governments RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 9

10 Social practice theory: the elements of a practice Skills and competencies about how we do something Practical knowledge Things that we use and/or systems that enable practice (i.e. stuff) Material infrastructure Common Understandings Meanings and understandings about what we ought to do Rules Rules and restrictions about what we must do References: Reckwitz 2002 Schatzki 2002 Shove & Pantzar 2005 Warde 2005 RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 10

11 The elements of a practice: showering How we wash and clean the body Practical knowledge Piped water and sewage systems, showers, baths, towels, soap, sponges, shampoo Material infrastructure Common Understandings How we ought to look/ smell/ enjoy etc. Rules Regularity, frequency and duration required RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 11

12 Social practices vs. behaviour change BEHAVIOUR CHANGE Barriers, drivers, attitudes, values, norms and/or technologies are the central unit of analysis and change Emphasis on changing people and their individual behaviours Technology, supply systems and people are separate from each other People have agency People change through targeted information, education, price signals, social norms, community interaction etc. Efficiency improvements and habits are long-lasting SOCIAL PRACTICE THEORY Practices are the central unit of analysis and change Emphasis on changing the elements of the practice Technology, supply systems and people are part of a practices People, things and practices have agency Practices circulate and change through carriers (ie. people and things) and through changing elements Practices are always changing RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 12

13 References DEWHA 2008, Energy Use in the Australian Residential Sector , Australian Government: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA), Canberra, ACT. Davidson, G 2008, 'Down the gurgler: historical influences on Australian domestic water consumption', in P Troy (ed.), Troubled Waters: Confronting the Water Crisis in Australia's Cities, ANU E Press, Canberra, ACT, pp McCann, M 2006, A Climate of Change: a Strategy of Improving the Energy Efficiency of Non- Residential Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Systems, Energy Strategies Pty Ltd, Manuka, ACT. Schatzki, TR 2002, The Site of the Social: a Philosophical Account of the Constitution of Social Life and Change, The Pennsylvania State University Press, Pennsylvania [USA]. Shove, E & Pantzar, M 2005, 'Consumers, producers and practices: understanding the invention and reinvention of Nordic walking', Journal of Consumer Culture, vol. 5, no. 1, pp Slob, A & Verbeek, P-P 2006, 'Technology and user behavior: an introduction', in P-P Verbeek & A Slob (eds), User Behavior and Technology Development: Shaping Sustainable Relations between Consumers and Technologies, Springer, [The Netherlands]. Warde, A 2005, 'Consumption and theories of practice', Journal of Consumer Culture, vol. 5, no. 2, pp RMIT University 2010 Beyond Behaviour Change 13

The Demand Side: Why energy users don't behave the way they are supposed to. Ronnie D. Lipschutz U.S.-DK Renewable Energy Workshop August 2016

The Demand Side: Why energy users don't behave the way they are supposed to Ronnie D. Lipschutz U.S.-DK Renewable Energy Workshop August 2016 How do you use energy? A classroom exercise 1. Do you know