Where There's a Will...
Setpoint calculations clearly show the potential for saving energy in campus buildings, but are people willing to adapt to new setpoints in order to achieve these savings?
In order to measure campus willingness, TherMOOstat asks users directly "Are you willing to vote for a slight change in thermostat settings on campus in order to save energy?"
Are you willing to vote for a slight change in thermostat settings on campus in order to save energy?
No, I'm not willing
Yes, I'm willing
Percentage of People Willing to Change Thermostat Settings
65% of People Vote to Conserve
In an experimental study of the community’s willingness to adapt to changes in indoor temperatures for energy conservation, we analyzed the responses of first time TherMOOstat users.
Users were presented the options to vote for 3 degree, 2 degree, 1 degree temperature changes. Overall, 28% of people voted for the most energy-conserving change in thermostat settings on campus.
From Willingness to Action
A behavioral study from Sebastian Bamberg outlines the three stages of behavior change: a goal, intention, and implementation.
Goal
Here's an example of a goal you could have:
I want to contribute to energy savings on campus.
Intention
There are several different behavioral intentions for you to take on to achieve this goal:
In order to save energy, I intend to vote for a change in warmer thermostat settings to save energy on campus.
Implementation
Lastly, in the implementation you need to add details and context to plan how you will achieve the goal:
When I prepare to leave for the day I will dress in layers or bring extra layers to be comfortable indoors, and contribute to energy savings.
Slight Changes Make Big Impacts
In a study on the effect of seasons on indoor comfort researchers found that “the thresholds for comfort temperatures become greater as occupants are exposed to the wider range of indoor temperatures.”
With this in mind, change is a gradual process that occurs over time. We don’t expect the campus community to adapt to 3°F temperature changes overnight, and recognize the importance of a willingness to contribute to energy savings.
We want to emphasize that changes such as slight adjustments to temperature set points, even 1 degree can make a big impact on campus energy savings. Please let know how you feel about indoor temperatures and energy savings on TherMOOstat!