See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/344738348

Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Change for

Sustainable Energy Goal

Preprint · October 2020

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-71057-0_155-1

CITATIONS READS

22 1,340

5 authors, including:

Ruchi Tyagi Suresh Vishwakarma

67 PUBLICATIONS 436 CITATIONS 38 PUBLICATIONS 209 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Kishan Kumar Chanan Singh Syan

Centurion University of Technology and Management The University of Warwick
20 PUBLICATIONS 131 CITATIONS 79 PUBLICATIONS 468 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Ruchi Tyagi on 19 October 2020.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

L

Low-Cost Energy for air conditioning, ventilation, lighting, heating,

Conservation Measures and and business-related processes effectively for
Behavioral Change for optimal utilization of energy that will lead to
Sustainable Energy Goal energy conservation.
Behavior changes in energy users for energy
Ruchi Tyagi1, Suresh Vishwakarma2, conservation refers to all human actions that affect
Kishan Kumar Singh3 and Chanan Syan4 the way that fuels (electricity, gas, petroleum,
1
HR, OB and Communication, School of coal, etc.) are used to achieve desired services
Business, University of Petroleum and Energy including the acquisition or disposal of energy-
Studies, Dehradun, India related technologies and materials. The ways in
2
Chartered Engineers Pacific, Vancouver, Canada which these are used and the mental processes that
3
Ministry of Planning and Development, relate to these actions, i.e., for optimal utilization
Multilateral Environmental Agreements, Port of of energy leading to energy conservation
Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (IAEDSM, Commercial Buildings Energy Con-
4
Production Engineering and Management, sumption Survey’s glossary for 1999 and 2003).
University of West Indies, Behavior change training to energy users for
St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago energy conservation is self-disciplining to opti-
mize the use of energy without compromising
with comfort. This can be done by increasing
Synonyms knowledge, abilities, skills, and attitude of energy
consumers toward energy usage to reduce energy
Energy Conservation through Behavioural consumption. The behavior/low-cost energy con-
Change; Low-cost energy conservation measures servation training includes corrective measures or
administration of few actions of energy con-
sumers, which in turn reduce consumption of
Definition energy.

Low-cost energy conservation measures

(LCECM) is an energy conservation activity that
Types of Energy Users’ Behavior
may be training, administrative corrective actions,
modifications in operational procedures, fine-
A relationship exists between the kinds of energy
tuning the controls of equipment, and usage of
users’ behavior. Table 1 includes three examples
software to manage a building’s use of energy
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
W. Leal Filho et al. (eds.), Affordable and Clean Energy, Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71057-0_155-1
2 Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang...

Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Change for Sustainable Energy Goal,
Table 1 Terminology related to users’ behaviour (Source: IAEDSM Energy Efficiency Task 24)
Efficiency behavior vs These terms are referring to two of the many purposes of behavioral change, not
conservation behavior energy behavior itself aiming to achieve SDG 7
Investment behavior vs The first term is referring to acquisition of energy-related technologies (a behavior),
curtailment behavior the second to using less energy (a possible purpose of behavioral change)
Routine behavior vs intentional This dichotomy appears to be differentiating between the apparent degrees of
behavior conscious decision-making relating to a particular type of behavior. This is one way
(of many) to categorize types of behavior but does not define behavior. Furthermore,
degree of intentionality is more likely to be a continuum than a dichotomy (and
indeed a person’s specific behavior may alter over time along the continuum from
intentional to routine)

of terminology related to users’ behavior in line overall demand for energy. Table 2 shows a few
with the definitions stated above. examples of governmental and community efforts
to attain SDG 7.

Sustainable Development Goal 7: SDG 7 and Energy Crisis

Affordable, Reliable, Sustainable, and
Modern Energy for All
In one of his addresses, former UN Secretary-
General had said, “Energy is the golden thread
that connects economic growth, increased social
equity, and an environment that allows the world
to thrive” (CISDL 2019). How we produce and
use energy is also pivotal to reduce global carbon
pollution to levels that will limit global tempera-
ture rise to well below 2
Celsius. SDG 7 targets to
ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable,
and modern energy for all. Key business themes
addressed by SDG 7 are electricity access, elec-
tricity availability and reliability, renewable
energy, energy efficiency, infrastructure invest-
ments, and environmental investments. SDG 7.3
specifically targets to double the global rate of
improvement in energy efficiency by 2030.
Human Intervention in Achieving SDG 7
There is a strong role of human intervention in
achieving sustainable energy goals. Businesses
can effectively accelerate the transition to an
affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy sys-
tem by investing in renewable energy resources,
prioritizing energy-efficient practices, and
adopting clean energy technologies and infra-
structure. The residential sector can equally prior-
itize energy-efficient practices to reduce the
First energy crisis happened in the 1970s. With an
increase in energy consumption, the SDG 7 role
has become more prominent. Figure 1 shows US
Energy Information System’s projection of the
world’s energy consumption by 2040 (EIA 2016).
Demand-side management (DSM) came as an
answer by bringing technology and operations
solutions. The emphasis should be more on tech-
nological excellence to bridge the gap between
demand and supply and not against saving reserve
fossil fuels this viewpoint completely misses on
human intervention. The frontline managers in
power distribution sector are anticipated to imple-
ment modern advanced technologies wherever
needed (Vishwakarma 2017). Later, behavioral
dimension along with technological excellence is
considered in the demand-side management
(DSM) for energy conservation. Figure 2 shows
the dimensions of energy management for energy
conservation. As can be seen, energy management
can be effectively achieved when any organiza-
tion properly addresses all three dimensions –
technological, organizational, and human behav-
ioral (AMU 2020).
Energy management has the greatest impact
when training on behavioral dimensions is
addressed and enhanced, i.e., attitude of individ-
uals in the organization has an impact on their
energy use. Table 3 indicates the features, cost,
Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang... 3

Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Change for Sustainable Energy Goal,
Table 2 Examples of governmental and community efforts put to attain SDG 7
Country/agency
United Kingdom, Government of the United
Kingdom
United Kingdom, The Climate Group
United Kingdom, The Climate Group
Netherlands, Dutch Government
Canada, Indigenous Communities
Rep. of Seychelles Government’s environment
agencies and conservation NGOs
Community efforts have been put to attain SDG 7
The United Kingdom has made remarkable progress with electricity
generation decarbonized by 59% between 2008 and 2017.
A UK-based company has enabled almost one million small scale
solar installations (Skorupska 2019)
RE100 of The Climate Group is a global corporate leadership
initiative bringing together influential businesses committed to 100%
renewable electricity. It aims to accelerate change toward zero carbon
grids at global scale. The initiative works to increase corporate
demand for – and in turn supply of – renewable energy
(theclimatechangegroup1)
The Climate Group’s global EP100 initiative in partnership with
the Alliance to save energy brings together a growing group of
energy-smart companies committed to improving their energy
productivity and doing more with less. By integrating ambitious
energy targets into business strategy, leading companies are driving
innovation in energy efficiency and increasing competitiveness while
delivering on emissions reduction goals (theclimatechangegroup2)
The Dutch government has granted one of the first ever subsidy-free
offshore wind contracts to Swedish energy company. The 700–750
megawatts wind farm, called Hollandse Kust Zuid, will be located
14 miles off the Dutch coast and cover an area of 137 square miles. It
will increase offshore wind capacity in the Netherlands to 4,500 MW
by 2023 (Wentworth 2018)
Statistics collected by the University of Calgary researchers
confirmed more than 300 indigenous clean energy projects underway
across Canada, serving the needs of 190 communities. Nationally, the
clean energy sector is identified as an area of further prioritization,
with non-hydro renewables expanding from 2% to 11% over
2005–2015 and viewed as a major source of clean growth for future
generations (Segger and Harrington 2019)
Seychelles Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program is
encouraging the adoption of energy-efficient home appliances,
lighting consumables, and solar water heaters in the domestic
residential sector, made accessible to the public through an affordable
finance from the commercial banks. The project is expected to save
almost USD 30–40 million by the public electric utility to purchase
fossil fuels (Thande 2014)

and tentative paybacks of technical and behav-
ioral options.
Why Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures
Is an Inescapable Necessity to Attain SDG 7
Studies worldwide have underlined the significant
impact of user behavior on energy conservation:
• UN’s SDG 7 vows to double the global rate of
improvement in energy efficiency. SDG Indi-
cator 7.3.1 is the energy intensity measured in
terms of primary energy and GDP. Energy
intensity is an indication of how much energy
is used to produce one unit of economic output.
A lower ratio indicates that less energy is used
to produce one unit of output. Energy conser-
vation measures across all sectors will greatly
contribute to achieving SDG 7. Users’ behav-
ior in each category has a collective impact on
energy conservation.
• Global emissions must peak in the next decade
and quickly decline for the world to stay below
its Paris Agreement limits, according to the
UN. As per the analysis carried out by
4 Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang...

Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behav- energy consumption by 2040. (Source: Today in Energy,
ioral Change for Sustainable Energy Goal, Published by Independent Statistics & Analysis, U.-
Fig. 1 World’s energy consumption by source S. Energy Information Administration, May 12, 2016)
(1990–2040). EIA projects 48% increase in the world’s

Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Change for Sustainable Energy Goal,
Fig. 2 Dimensions of Energy Management. (Source: Study material for CHC3160 Energy Engineering & Manage-
ment of Aligarh Muslim University, India)

Dr. Ben Caldecott at the University of Oxford,
younger generations will have to make do with
substantially smaller lifetime carbon budgets
than older generations if the Paris limits are to
be respected. This is because most of the allow-
able emissions have already been used up,
meaning young people will not have the luxury
of unmitigated emissions enjoyed by older
generations (Hausfather 2019).
• User behavior has a significant impact on
energy consumption in residential and com-
mercial buildings, and users can be influenced
Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang... 5

Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Change for Sustainable Energy Goal,
Table 3 Technical and behavioral options of sustainable energy management
Tentative
Options Features Cost payback
Technical Technology change High cost More than
5 years
Technical supported with Addition and alterations Moderate 1 to 3 years
behavioral cost
Behavioral Administrative and corrective Low cost Less than 1 year
actions
(Source: based on authors’ interview with subject matter expert Energy Auditor, Shaikh Samsher Ali conducted on Jan 1,
2020)

to use less energy when exposed to feedback
(Paone and Bacher 2018).
• Most users who spent most of their working
days in the building were not familiar with the
workings and benefits of the energy manage-
ment systems technology. There was no
attempt by management to communicate and
support or reinforce what would have emerged
as best practices working behavior that reduced
energy consumption. Employees lacked the
motivation to change their behavior to be
more energy-efficient (Onyango and Ciaran
2015).
• Utilities in the United States and EU
implemented behavior-focused programs in
the residential sector. A broader understanding
of consumer behavior can help utilities and
planning agencies align public policies that
are suited to consumer needs and complement
energy-saving technologies and practices. To
realize maximum energy savings, technologi-
cal interventions must be combined with
behavior-changing approaches in a utility’s
DSM program (Malaviya and Chandiwala
2018).
• Nearly 25,000 MW can be saved by improving
end-use energy efficiency and implementing
DSM measures throughout India across all
sectors. Thumb rule is one unit of energy
saved at the consumption level reduces the
need for fresh capacity creation by 2 to 2.5
times (Tripathi and Powell 2020).
• Behavioral change is the key to energy effi-
ciency. Lower energy consumption results in a
reduced energy bill and will benefit the planet
with a reduced CO2 footprint making everyone
happy. Boots had recently shared that they
succeeded in reaching their carbon reduction
target 3 years early. They managed to curtail
down emissions by 33%, exceeding a 30%
reduction target set for 2020. This achievement
was the result, partly, of the implementation of
a behavioral change program. Another
manufacturing sector organization managed
to achieve an annual energy saving of 7%
because of an extensive behavioral manage-
ment program. Behavioral change programs
work in energy conservation. Even a small
organization, without hiring any subject matter
expert to run a widespread campaign, can be
energy-efficient by having some clear struc-
ture, passionate co-workers, and a way of mea-
suring the impact. At the end of the day, such
initiatives will have a positive impact on the
Earth’s ecosystems (Karlstrom 2018).
• In his recent speech on June 12, 2020, the
Prime Minister of India mentioned that
Indians are saving a total of 1900 million
Indian rupees every year due to the usage of
LED bulbs. Carbon emissions have also
reduced significantly due to that. Such planet-
friendly development has always been the key
priority of Indian governance.
• There is a great influence of occupants’ behav-
ior on energy use especially habitual and
purchase-related behavior. Barr et al. (2005)
examined the energy-saving behavior in
home related to habitual-related and
purchase-related conservation behavior. They
also considered the association between
energy-saving behaviors and other environ-
mental actions. Their findings were used to
6 Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang...

investigate the characteristics of energy savers DSM by controlling morning and evening
as related to other environmental actions using peaks through lighting load. Such initiatives
cluster analysis. Among their findings, a range also have the potential to help save fuel bills
of energy saver personality and perceptual for power plants as well as reduce CO2 emis-
characteristics were identified including per- sion. This event has given a new perspective on
sonal comfort, concern for environmental and energy conservation.
energy-related issues, price concern, personal
responsibility to save energy, normative influ- Thus, the success of any policy or program that
ences on behavior, and self-presentation aims to conserve energy depends on users’
(Somuncu 2017). behavior.
• Behavioral impacts on energy savings, simula-
tions of building users’ adaptive behaviors,
Opportunities Identified in the Building
control systems for energy, and comfort man-
agement of buildings are among the critical Sector in Achieving SDG 7
By 2030, 60% of the world’s population will live
areas of research. Growing awareness about
in cities, up from about 50% today. Modern cities
how all these issues are interconnected is
required to significantly influence building account for 70% of global energy use and energy-
related GHG emissions. The building sector
energy use. Users’ behavior significantly
accounts for around one-third of the total final
impacts energy consumption in residential
and commercial buildings. Behavioral change energy consumption across the world and more
than half of electricity demand. Its energy demand
is also crucial to promote energy efficiency in
could be shrunk by, for instance, retrofitting
the building sector, and users can be influenced
to use less energy when shown the feedback. It existing buildings with more efficient heating
and cooling technology and switching to efficient
is difficult to quantify the impact of users’
lighting and other electrical appliances. This
behavior for methodological reasons. The
decision-making process of humans is com- energy efficiency initiative will potentially result
in an annual savings of US$ 555–770 billion (IEA
plex and multifactorial too. The factors
2013).
influencing behavior are also therefore numer-
40% of the global energy consumption and
ous and varied. Introducing energy conserva-
more than 30% of the global carbon dioxide
tion measures without factoring in users’
equivalent emissions are currently being attrib-
satisfaction may be a counterproductive exer-
uted to buildings. This makes the building sector
cise because users may try to adapt their envi-
the single most significant industry in terms of
ronment to obtain satisfying conditions.
carbon emissions (Goubran et al. 2019).
Emphasizing behavioral change would help
Various types of building material effects on its
in achieving higher energy efficiency (Paone
cooling load requirements. Taking conservation
and Bacher 2018).
measures to reduce cooling loads can have a sig-
• An appeal was made by the Prime Minister of
nificant impact on energy consumption. The win-
India to the citizens on April 3, 2020, for
dows, shading, wall structure, solar gains, and
switching off only lights at their respective
lights are all important factors that can be investi-
homes on April 5, 2020 at 9 pm for 9 min as
gated to achieve significant energy conservation
a mark of gesture for essential service workers
in buildings. The peak cooling load is a direct
during the pandemic. The total reduction in all
parameter for the level of energy consumption in
India demand recorded during the event was
buildings. Reducing load demand can reduce the
31,089 MW. That initiative indicated that the
operating electrical consumption and eventually
lighting load in the residential sector has the
promote energy savings. The best savings for each
potentials to help in managing demand-side
design depends on building’s location, orienta-
management (DSM) during peak hours. This
tion, window-to-wall ratio, type of lighting, and
initiative opened a window of opportunity for
Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang...
people density schedules. There can be an oppor-
tunity for all existing buildings that are lacking
energy conservation measures to start optimizing
the energy bills through the implementation of
feasible changes without having to change the
exterior walls. Designers can use building modi-
fications to save energy (Shehadi 2018).
Improving energy efficiency measures in
building sector has received significant attention
of researchers. Improving energy efficiency in
buildings results in (a) less energy consumption
while maintaining comfort level, (b) saving
energy and money, and (c) minimizing harmful
emissions. A detailed simulation analyses
performed to investigate the impact of various
energy conservation measures focusing mainly
on HVAC and lighting system in the residential
buildings in Jordan confirmed reduced annual
electricity consumption. The peak demand as
well as amount of carbon emission were also
found reduced. The results of study confirmed
that combing the best strategy can significantly
reduce the annual energy consumption of the
buildings (Bataineh and Alrabee 2018).
The building sector presents a unique opportu-
nity to improve energy efficiency substantially;
both by retrofitting existing buildings and by
requiring higher energy efficiencies on newly
constructed buildings. Countries can take several
priority actions to increase the deployment of
technologies to enhance energy efficiency in
buildings. Regrettably, energy conservation is an
unnecessary expenditure and considered as a less
important operational activity in many third world
countries (Ali et al. 2019). Achieving energy effi-
ciency actually anticipates multiple perspectives
covering educational, technical, regulatory, finan-
cial, institutional, technology adaptation, capacity
development, and private sector involvement. In
countries where coal is still used for residential
heating, as it is the lowest cost fuel, the govern-
ment should promote the use of other fuels to
drive the adoption of cleaner technologies. Air-
conditioning systems, lights, water heating sys-
tems, receptacle mount loads, etc. used in the
building should be energy efficient (Ali and
Tyagi 2020). Heat from solar radiation can be
used for domestic hot water and internal heating
7
in residential and public buildings. Energy saving
lamps have lower energy consumption and longer
service life. They additionally do not require any
extra operational cost or maintenance. Inhabitants
in their houses can undertake installation of the
energy-saving lighting appliances. Building
owners can install energy-saving lamps and mod-
ules in public areas, such as stairs, entrance tam-
bours, and outdoor lighting systems (Dubey and
Dodonov 2019).
Energy Conservation Measures for Home:
Example of Charles County in the United
States
There is a need to remain focused on reducing
carbon footprints within our areas of residence, to
include conservation of local and vital energy
resources, as well the utility costs we each must
pay for our utility services that are rendered at our
homes. Energy conservation measures can be
implemented both at the workplace and at home
while ultimately achieving the individual demand
and responsibilities we are challenged regularly.
Several measures covering air conditioning, ven-
tilation, water conservation, kitchen, leaks,
energy-saving measures, cooking, cleaning,
etc. as indicated in Table 4 can assist at home
and workplace in continued cost avoidance, as
well in a reduction in excessive energy usage,
which is in most cases caused by wasteful behav-
iors and practices (Charles County’s website).
Energy Efficiency Brings Investment
Opportunity
Figure 3 shows the energy intensity in the New
Policies Scenario in different countries. Consider-
ing the example of India, (a) reduction in the
Indian Energy scenario is expected to grow grad-
ually International Energy Agency (IEA 2017).
This analysis aims to inform governments,
businesses, and other stakeholders about the pros-
pects for energy use in India and the role that
energy efficiency improvements offer in the
period from 2013 to 2040. It quantifies the poten-
tial energy savings and related carbon dioxide
(CO2) emission reductions and the associated
costs and benefits of policies aimed at exploiting
that potential. The report also includes energy
8 Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang...

Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Change for Sustainable Energy Goal, Table 4 Home
and workplace implementation of LCECM and energy usage (Source: Charles County)
Item Measure
Toilet Not to use to flush tissues, gum wrappers, cigarette
butts, spiders, diapers, or anything that can go to
bin
Shower Not to spend too long in the shower
Kitchen Load dishwasher fully before turning it on. Not to
let faucet run when scrubbing vegetables or
preparing other food. Put stopper in the sink
instead
Leaks Seal and stop all leaks
AC Select proper size unit. Have the dealer estimate
your cooling load before you buy. Clean filter
regularly. Keep direct sunlight out of the room
Ventilation Use fan and other devices in summer economically.
A window fan pushing hot air out of one side of
room, but drawing cooler air from the steady side,
is particularly refreshing
Energy Use compact fluorescent light (CFL) or light-
emitting diode (LED) bulbs
Cooking Not to open oven door which drops temperature by
25–300 every time. Use microwave ovens that use
70% less energy. Cook food in the morning so that
kitchen heat does not contribute as much to AC use
Clothes Dry loads of clothes back to back to take advantage
Dryer of stored heat. Clean filter after every load. During
cooling season, close the door to the room the dryer
is located. During heating season, leave door open
to allow more heat throughout the room
Outcome: possible energy savings
Avoid unnecessary flushing and save 7 gallons of
water each time
Controls wastage of 5–10 gallons of water
pouring out per minute
Controlling wastage of 15 gallons of water per run
of dishwasher. Controls unnecessary flow of water
from the sink
Saves 15–20 gallons of water daily
Reduces operating costs as well as home cooling
bills
Improved efficiency, reduced energy use, reduced
energy bills
Reduced energy usage by 66%. 70% less heat is
generated cutting cost associated with room
cooling
Improved efficiency, reduced energy use, reduced
energy bills
Improved efficiency, reduced energy use, reduced
energy bills

efficiency policy recommendations for each sec-
tor covered. (b) The opportunities for energy con-
servation in India exist both in industrial and
commercial sectors. As per the International
Energy Agency (IEA, 2017), it is projected to
grow significantly in the next three decades
(2013–2040) which will also create an investment
opportunity in this field. Energy conservation
measures will be applied in every possible sector
like lighting, transportation, etc.
Research Advocating “Energy Literacy” for
Behavioral Change in Energy Users
Energy usage behavior impacts energy consump-
tion with a saving potential of 72% in the
domestic/commercial sector. Also, the Energy
Efficiency Service Sector will increase twofold
to fourfold by 2020. Research on behavior
affecting household use of energy (including
electricity) is limited:
1. Energy usage behavior impacts energy
consumption with a saving potential of 72%
in the domestic/commercial sector (Xiaoqi
Xu 2013).
2. Energy Efficiency Service Sector will increase
twofold to fourfold by 2020 in Indian Power
Commercial Sector (Goldman et al. 2009).
3. Research on behavior affecting household use
of energy (including electricity) in India is
limited (Residential Electricity Consumption
in India: What do we know? By Prayas –
Energy Group report 2016 for GoI).
4. Commercial Building Energy Audit by the
IAEMP recommended for behavioral training
for low-cost energy conservation (Indian
Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang... 9
GJ per $1 000 (2014 PPP)
10 Reduction in the
India Efficiency
Scenario
8
Energhy intensity in
the New Policies
6 Scenario

0
2013
2020
2030
2040

2013
2020
2030
2040

2013
2020
2030
2040

2013
2020
2030
2040

2013
2020
2030
2040

2013
2020
2030
2040

2013
2020
2030
2040
India South Africa China Indonesia Southeast Mexico Brazil
Asia*

Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Change for Sustainable Energy Goal, Fig. 3 Energy
intensity in the New Policies Scenario. (Source: Energy Efficiency Outlook for India – Sizing up the opportunity,
International Energy Agency (IEA, 2017))

Association of Energy Management Profes- conservation measures. Findings of few such

sionals (IAEMP), 2016).
5. There is a demand for increased “energy liter-
acy” in nontechnical disciplines, and there is
potential for cross-disciplinary collaboration to
increase awareness on EEA skills and pro-
cesses (Long Term Training Strategy for the
Development of Energy Efficiency Assess-
ment Skills Report, 2010).
How Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures
Can Help to Attain SDG 7
It is easy to implement, and it has a short payback
period, mostly administrative and corrective
actions which include training (Worrell et al.
2003; Janos, 2013; Biswas et al. 2013). Examples:
10 Million ACs in home/office saving 50W daily
will amount to 500 MW available at the user end.
Table 5 includes examples of behavioral options
for sustainable energy development in a few
countries.
Research Advocating Behavioral Change
Training to Energy Consumers
A lot of research has been undertaken and still
ongoing on the impact of customers’ behavior on
their energy use. They have also underlined the
need of educating customers on practicing energy
research works listed below confirm the role of
behavioral change training:
1. Training of low-cost energy-saving measures
to the occupants of the commercial building
can play a role in bridging the gap between
energy supply and energy demand (Prayas –
Energy Group report 2016).
2. Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assess-
ment (GRIHA) program advocated the need
for training (launched by The Energy and
Resources Institute (TERI)).
3. Information (does not) leads to conservation
(Jain et al. 2014).
For example, the Bureau of Energy Effi-
ciency (BEE), the nodal agency under the Min-
istry of Power (Government of India),
responsible for promoting energy conservation
plans and propagating energy conservation
measures has come up with various programs
from time to time both in technological and
training front. One such training initiative is
holding painting competitions in schools for
kids every year to promote awareness. Agen-
cies like TERI also propagate the same which
is supported by various reports like the one
done by Prayas Group for Indian Government.
10 Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang...

Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Change for Sustainable Energy Goal,
Table 5 Examples of behavioral options for sustainable energy development in a few countries
Country Examples of sustainable energy development
Louisiana Results of a home energy performance study conducted in Louisiana showed that energy savings ranged
widely among homeowners who received and those who did not receive energy education. Homeowners
whose energy education was based on demonstration had 46% energy savings (Nahmens et al. 2012)
Seychelles Seychelles is implementing a USD one million project to equip homes with solar heaters. Piloting of
electric and hybrid cars is ongoing in Seychelles. At the University of Seychelles, in collaboration with
Tata Energy Research Institute, India, a course in renewable energy is being offered in Seychelles to train
middle managers in areas of energy management and planning for investments in renewable energy
technologies (National Report 2012)
Mauritius As part of strategy to achieve 35% self-sufficiency by 2025 in terms of electricity supply through the use
of renewable sources of energy, the government has developed relevant educational materials on
sustainable energy for use at schools, including primary and preprimary children. Appropriate training is
being given to build capacity and to develop a culture of sustainable development including energy
efficiency and energy conservation. Appropriate campaigns have been launched with the objective of
changing behavior at work and promoting practices aimed at rationalization of energy use in all big
buildings (Republic of Mauritius, Long-Term Energy Strategy, 2009–2025)
Fiji To increase renewable energy share in electricity generation and to decrease fossil fuel in Fiji’s energy
sector, efforts are on to change people’s behavior on how they use energy services or energy. Awareness
creation is going on. Fiji is preparing new building standards, minimum energy performance, standards,
and labelling programs, introducing hybrid vehicles, and planning for electric vehicles and other
programs to promote energy efficiency and conservation in a long run (Prasad and Raturi 2018)
Mexico Beliefs about consequences of adopting renewable energy technologies have significant influence in
shaping consumer’s attitudes in Mexico which were found to be an accurate predictor of the behavioral
intention to adopt these technologies. As an innovation attribute, a solar heater to be adopted should be
compatible with the social values of the consumer (Reyes-Mercado and Rajagopal 2017)

4. There is a need for a periodical study on resi-
dential energy consumption along with the
training of its occupants for sustainable energy
conservation (Biswas et al. 2008). It is found
that the provision of comprehensive informa-
tion about cost savings, payback period, and
emission reduction reduces the size of energy
efficiency gap significantly from 10% to 2.72%
at the private level (Bhardwaj and Gupta
2017).
5. Sustainability practices were learned habits
due to the scarcity of resources (Vyas 2012).
For example, in India, residential electricity
consumption has increased by 50 times since
1971 and now constitutes about a quarter of
India’s total electricity consumption, up from
about 4% in 1971.
• Various studies have projected a five to six
times increase in REC in India by 2030.
• In 2014, households accounted for about
22% of the total of 883 billion units of
electricity consumed in India.
• Energy efficiency programs in India have
mostly focused on price and information.
• Human behavior is a key factor that affects a
household’s decisions on buying and using
appliances . . .. Understanding these behav-
ioral tendencies can be useful to predict
future consumption as well as inform policy
interventions to curb it.
6. In industrialized countries, energy, transport,
housing, and agro-food systems – which
between them deliver essential supplies and
services to society – account for 70–80% of
the negative environmental impacts of those
countries. Such systems can be described as
“socio-technical” since they are comprised of
technologies as well as social components
including consumer practices. Socio-technical
research has been widely applied to the analy-
sis of unfolding and future sustainability tran-
sitions, such as renewable electricity.
Multilevel perspective (MLP) has been used
to analyze both “green” technologies and
“social innovations” (T2S 2019).
Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang...
Conclusions
To address energy-related emissions, we need to
invest in low-carbon technologies and energy effi-
ciency. At the end of the day, to fully implement
180 plus national action plans submitted to the
United Nations in 2015, a cumulative investment
of 13.5 trillion USD in low-carbon technologies
and energy efficiency until 2030 is required. The
challenge is massive: to decarbonize the global
electricity supply, at least 65% must be generated
from renewables by 2050. Investments are also
required to improve the rate of energy efficiency
gains. As the world is heading down to a path of
decarbonization, researchers have predicted that
on average, the cost of electricity generation will
go up by 30–50% by 2050. To meet a 20 limit to
global warming, we are likely to see the cost of
electricity rising much faster. To limit this cost
increase, we need to invest in technology innova-
tion which will lower the cost of generation and
improve energy efficiency, which could in turn
reduce demand in countries with high energy con-
sumption (PWC 2019).
The evidence that low-cost energy conserva-
tion training can substantially and cost-effectively
change energy consumption behaviors seems
compelling. However, there is a scope for contin-
ued improvement of energy efficiency training in
Indian industry and for learning from both world-
wide and Indian best practices. Furthermore,
research is required on how low-cost training
can specifically be tailored to “households”
and/or “business” values in their various forms,
rather than a “one-size-fits-all” approach. This
will, in turn, evoke different reactions to energy
conservation. Needless to mention that these sav-
ings are at the user’s end daily which will have
cascading effects on the economy, GHG emission,
and climate change, besides energy. Energy con-
servation by changing human energy usage
behavior is the game changer as it costs nothing
and should be the first step toward energy storage
solutions for better energy management at the
user’s end.
11
Cross-References
▶ Consumer Behaviour in Buildings Energy Use
▶ Energy Conservation: Concept and Approaches
▶ Energy Consumption: Strategies to Foster Sus-
tainable Energy Consumption
▶ Energy Use and Climate Change: History and
Foresight
▶ Energy Use in the Building Sector and Climate
Change: Modelling, Developments and Future
Trends
▶ Measures for Energy Efficient and Low Emis-
sion Private Mobility
▶ Methods of Energy Saving Measures
▶ Residential Distributed Energy
References
Ali et al. (2019) Energy conservation project funding in
commercial building: an expenditure or investment?;
International Journal of Power Electronics and Drive
System (IJPEDS) 10(1):504–513. ISSN: 2088-8694,
https://doi.org/10.11591/ijpeds.v10.i1
Ali SS, Tyagi R (2020) The role of Energy Conservation
Building Code 2017 in Indian Energy Policy; Interna-
tional Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering
(IJRTE) 9(1). ISSN: 2277-3878, https://www.ijrte.org/
wp-content/uploads/papers/v9i1/A2212059120.pdf
AMU (2020) Study material for CHC3160, Unit 4: Intro-
duction to Energy Management, Aligarh Muslim
University, India - Date 20 Apr 2020, p3. Accessed at
https://amu.ac.in/emp/studym/100008496.pdf
Barr S, Gilg AW, Nicholas F (2005) The household energy
gap: examining the divide between habitual- and
purchase-related conservation behaviors. Energy
Policy 33:1425–1444
Bataineh K, Alrabee A (2018) Improving the energy
efficiency of the residential buildings in Jordan. Article
published in Buildings 2018, 8, 85; https://doi.org/
10.3390/buildings8070085. Accessed at https://www.
mdpi.com/2075-5309/8/7/85/pdf
Bhardwaj K, Gupta E (2017) Analyzing the “energy-
efficiency gap”: an empirical analysis of air condi-
tioners in the household sector of Delhi. Indian Growth
and Development Review. 10. 00–00. https://doi.org/
10.1108/IGDR-04-2017-0028. Accessed at https://
www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/
IGDR-04-2017-0028/full/html
Biswas et al. (2013) Conservation of Energy: a Case Study
on Energy Conservation in Campus Lighting in an
Institution; Department of EE, Murshidabad College
of Engineering & Technology, India, International
Journal of Modern Engineering Research (IJMER) 3
(4):1939–1941
12 Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang...
Charles County’s website. Energy conservation measures
for home – Twenty-two (22) low–cost or no-cost
energy conservation measures. Published by Charles
County, Maryland USA. Accessed at http://www.
charlescounty.org/green/22measures_home.pdf
CISDL (2019) SDG 7 on sustainable energy for all a toolkit
of legal & institutional practices. Article published in
CISDL Publications, Oct 19, 2019. Accessed at https://
www.cisdl.org/2019/10/19/sdg-7-on-sustainable-
energy-for-all-a-toolkit-of-legal-institutional-practices/
Dubey K, Dodonov A (2019) Mapping of existing tech-
nologies to enhance energy efficiency in buildings
in the UNECE Region, Joint Task Force on Energy
Efficiency Standards in Buildings. United Nations Eco-
nomic Commission for Europe, Geneva; Accessed at
https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/energy/se/
pdfs/geee/study/Final_Master_file_-_March_11_final_
submission.pdf
EIA (2016) EIA projects 48% increase in world energy
consumption by 2040. TODAY IN ENERGY,
Published by Independent Statistics & Analysis,
U.S. Energy Information Administration, May
12, 2016. Accessed at https://www.eia.gov/
todayinenergy/detail.php?id¼26212
Hausfather Z (2019) Analysis: Why children must emit
eight times less CO2 than their grandparents. Article
published in CarbonBrief, Apr 10, 2019. Accessed on
June 6, 2020 at https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-
why-children-must-emit-eight-times-less-co2-than-
their-grandparents
Goldman et al. (2009) Energy Efficiency Services Sector:
Workforce Size and Expectations for Growth. Draft of
forthcoming report. Berkeley, Calif.: Lawrence Berke-
ley National Laboratory
Goubran et al (2019) Evolutions in sustainability and
sustainable real estate. In: Walker T, Krosinsky C,
Hasan LN, Kibsey SD (eds) Sustainable real estate.
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, pp 11–31
IAEDSM, DEFINITIONS: BEHAVIOUR AND
ENERGY. Accessed at http://www.ieadsm.org/publica
tion/definitions-for-task-24/
IEA (2013) Transition to sustainable buildings: strategies
& and opportunities to 2050. International Energy
Agency. Available at http://www.iea.org/publications/
freepublications/publication/Building2013_free.pdf
IEA (2017) Energy Efficiency Outlook for India: Sizing up
the opportunity, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/
reports/energy-efficiency-outlook-for-india-sizing-
upthe-opportunity
Jain et al (2014) Energy Usage Attitudes of Urban India.
Paper published in ICT4S -2014 India Survey.
Accessed at https://www.iiitd.edu.in/~amarjeet/
Papers/ICT4S-2014-IndiaSurvey.pdf
Janos LM (2013) Students Energy Saving Behavior Case
study of University of Coimbra; University of Coim-
bra. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/19132719.pdf
Karlstrom C (2018) Behaviour change – the key to energy
efficiency – energy efficiency & low-carbon. Article
dated Feb 19, 2018 published on https://www.edie.net/
blog/Behaviour-change%2D%2D-the-key-to-energy-
efficiency/6098463
Malaviya M, Chandiwala S (2018) How Behavioural Sci-
ence Can Boost Household Energy Efficiency. Article
published on the website of World Resources Institute.
05 Jun 2018. Available at http://www.wri.org/blog/
2018/06/how-behavioral-science-can-boost-household-
energyefficiency
National Report, Republic of Seychelles National Prepara-
tions for the United Nations Conference for Sustainable
Development, Rio 2012. May 2012. Accessed at
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/docu
ments/1019Seychelles%20National%20Report.pdf
Onyango J, Ciaran R (2015) Impact of user behaviour in
office building on energy reduction strategies. Innov
Energy Policies 4:112. https://doi.org/10.4172/2090-
5009.1000112
Paone A, Bacher J (2018) The impact of building occupant
behaviour on energy efficiency and methods to influ-
ence it: a review of the state of the art. Energies 11:953.
https://doi.org/10.3390/en11040953. Accessed at
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/4/953/pdf
Prasad R, Raturi A (2018) Presentation titled "Toward a
sustainable energy future for Fiji", The University of
the South Pacific Fiji National University. Accessed at
http://devpolicy.org/2018-Pacific-Update/Presenta
tions%20and%20papers/Panel_5B_Presentation_3_
Ravita_Prasad_Toward_a_sustainable_energy_future_
for_Fiji.pdf
PWC (2019) SDG 7: affordable and clean energy - Ensure
access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern
energy for all. SDG Selector. 2019 Pricewaterhou-
seCoopers LLP. Accessed at https://dm.pwc.com/
SDGSelector/
Republic of Mauritius, Long-Term Energy Strategy,
2009–2025, Issued by Ministry of Renewable Energy
& Public Utilities, October 2009., Accessed at https://
sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/
1245mauritiusEnergy%20Strategy.pdf
Reyes-Mercado P, Rajagopal (2017) Adoption of
renewable energy technologies in Mexico: the role of
cognitive factors and innovation attributes. Int J Energy
Sector Manag 11(4):626–649. https://doi.org/10.1108/
IJESM-02-2017-0001
Segger M, Harrington A (2019) SDG 7ON SUSTAIN-
ABLE ENERGY FOR ALL - A Toolkit of Legal &
Institutional Practices. Published by Centre for
International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL),
Montreal, Quebec. Accessed at https://www.cisdl.org/
wp-content/uploads/2019/10/SDG-7-Energy-Toolkit-
Can-and-SDGs-05.06.2019-v2.2.pdf
Shehadi M (2018) Energy consumption optimization
measures for buildings in the Midwest Regions of
USA. Article published in Buildings 2018, 8, 170;
https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings8120170. Accessed
at https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/8/12/170/pdf-vor
Skorupska N (2019) ENEWABLES ARE NEEDED LIKE
NEVER BEFORE: THE BUSINESS BENEFITS OF
SDG 7 Article published in SDG Spotlight: How
Low-Cost Energy Conservation Measures and Behavioral Chang...
business can achieve Goal 7: Affordable and Clean
Energy. Edie Report, Sponsored by Centrica Business
Solutions. Accessed at https://www.ecohz.com/wp-
content/uploads/2019/08/2019-SDG-edie-sdg-
spotlight-goal-7.pdf
Somuncu Y (2017) Influence of the users’ behaviour on the
energy performance of the buildings. Monitoring plan
and user behaviour recommendation for the NEED4B
methodology. Working Paper 6: Monitoring and eval-
uation during the operation phase of NEED4B, A EU
Funded Project. Accessed at http://need4b.eu/wp-
content/uploads/2018/02/NEED4B_D6.5_Influence-
of-users-behaviour-on-energy-performance_FV.pdf
Thande G (2014) $1.77 million project for reducing
energy use in island homes. Article published in
Seychelles News Agency, Jan 22, 2014. Accessed at
http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/92/.
+million+project+for+reducing+energy+use+in
+island+homes
Theclimatechangegroup1. The world's most influential
companies committed to 100% renewable power. Arti-
cle published on the website of The Climate Group.
Accessed at https://www.theclimategroup.org/RE100
Theclimatechangegroup2. EP100. Article published on the
website of The Climate Group. Accessed at https://
www.theclimategroup.org/project/ep100
Tripathi SC, Powell L (2020) Energy Conservation in
India. Editorial Article, Published in Employment
News of Government of India 39. 03 Jan 2020.
View publication stats
13
Available at http://employmentnews.gov.in/NewEmp/
MoreContentNew.aspx?n¼Editorial&k¼50258
T2S (2019) Transformations to sustainability – Knowledge
briefs. Series based on recent peer-reviewed research
on social transformations to sustainability. Published
by International Science Council No. 3, October 2019
Vishwakarma S, Tyagi R (2017) Post-reforms training
needs of frontline managers in Indian power distribu-
tion companies: A top managers’ perspective. Interna-
tional Journal of Energy Sector Management 11
(3):416–425
Vyas D (2012) Domestic artefacts: sustainability in the
context of Indian Middle Class. In: Proceedings of the
4th international conference on intercultural collabora-
tion, 2012, pp. 119–128
Xiaoqi Xu (2013) Leveraging Human-environment Sys-
tems in Residential Buildings for Aggregate Energy
Efficiency and Sustainability; Published by ProQuest
LLC (2013), UMI 3568207, ProQuest LLC., 789 East
Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI
48106–1346
Wentworth A (2018) Subsidy-free offshore wind farm to be
built in the Netherlands. Article published on the
website of Climate Action. Mar 20, 2018. Accessed at
http://www.climateaction.org/news/subsidy-free-
offshore-wind-farm-to-be-built-in-the-netherlands
Worrell et al. (2003) Productivity benefits of industrial
energy efficiency measures. Energy 28(11):1081–1098