Engaging beyond the meter: Encouraging residential energy management using smart grid tools

With scientists around the world indicating a brief window of opportunity for reducing irreversible climate change impacts, the time has never been more pressing for sustainability transitions (IPCC, 2018). The role of energy is especially important in these developments, where anthropogenic forces have created a “… twin energy and climate nexus,” (Van De Graaf, 2013, p. 42) as a result of the extraction, production, and consumption of energy resources. At a global scale, 78% of human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are from energy production and consumption (Natural Resources Canada, 2018a). Therefore, clean energy developments are an essential element of international climate goals. A key element of clean energy developments is energy conservation and demand management. With Canada having one of the world’s largest per capita electricity consumption rates, increased end-use management is essential to reduce system-level pressures within clean energy developments (International Energy Agency, 2018). Significant opportunities for electricity management exist in the residential sector, which contributes to 27% of international electricity consumption (International Energy Agency, 2017). This is especially the case in Canada, where the residential sector contributes to 34% of national electricity use, emitting 21.4 Mt of CO2e (Natural Resources Canada, 2019b, 2019a). Therefore, there is a strong need to transform Canada’s residential consumption management and practices to benefit national climate change objectives. Technological innovations in the modern energy grid deliver new opportunities for clean energy developments. Specifically, the smart grid creates two-way flows of both data and energy, thereby transforming technological capabilities and end-user roles. Beginning in 2004, the Province of Ontario facilitated large-scale smart metering implementation to enable a ‘conservation culture,’ consequently, becoming a prominent testing ground for residential smart grid development. Although the smart grid offers new technological potential, investigating ‘beyond’ the meter and into end-user engagement is critical for making these large-scale shifts. Social science research applications have previously remained underrepresented in energy literature and deliver novel opportunities for studying smart grid engagement. The holistic and scalable energy cultures framework presents a comprehensive approach to study the complexity of residential energy management, with substantial opportunities for applications in smart grid research (Stephenson et al., 2010). This dissertation, entitled ‘Engaging beyond the meter: Encouraging residential energy management using smart grid tools,’ delivers novel contributions to residential smart grid and engagement research for developing insights on household engagement and energy management. Drawing from the literatures on smart grid interventions, social science energy research, and consumer engagement, this dissertation utilizes two Ontario residential smart grid case studies to assess the potential of smart grid technologies to facilitate consumption changes. Additionally, this dissertation incorporates a comprehensive review of existing approaches for intervention design and proposes a novel integrated engagement model for shifting consumer cultures towards sustainability. This dissertation research is presented in four distinct yet interrelated manuscripts. Chapter 4 investigates the impacts of smart grid interventions on household energy cultures during a multi-year residential smart grid case study, following participant interviews. The energy cultures framework is applied to identify the nuances surrounding household energy management, specifically the changes in norms, practices, and materials. Additionally, qualitative feedback on the effectiveness of these smart grid engagement mechanisms for household energy management is collected. The results identify the challenges surrounding household energy management in relation to smart grid developments and present a novel application of the energy cultures framework within the Canadian residential smart grid. Chapter 5 further examines the impact of two smart grid interventions (electricity report and mobile tablet) to re-engage consumers over the multi-year residential smart grid project. This study examines whole-house and appliance-level consumption data alongside participant interviews. As a result, this study determines whether re-engagement influenced consumption, highlights contributing energy management practices (e.g., cooking, laundry, entertaining, air conditioning, dishwashing), and determines underlying factors influencing energy management. Significant conservation and peak shifting in laundry consumption were identified during a 10-week autumn period. User experience interviews highlighted the preference for weekly reports over a tablet for re-engagement. Therefore, this chapter provides unique perspectives for long-term engagement and re-engagement in the smart grid for the promotion of lasting residential energy management. Chapter 6 assesses the influence of a large-scale introduction of in-home displays (IHDs) to central Ontario homes. Two years of hourly consumption data for IHD recipients (n=5274) are analyzed and compared to a control group (n=3020) to determine changes in conjunction with IHD feedback at population and cohort levels. Consumer segments incorporating behavioural (load-shape) and thermal consumption patterns were identified. Following an impact assessment, no significant impacts were experienced in the general population; however, specific consumer segments responded favourably by conservation or peak shifting. These notable segments only represented 12% of the IHD recipients and had evening peak and heating thermal consumption profiles. This study emphasizes the importance of effective program design that utilizes comprehensive datasets, user-centred approaches, consumer targeting, and multiple mechanisms extending ‘beyond feedback.’ This chapter also highlights opportunities for utilizing ‘big’ smart metering data to understand consumers and their energy practices using quantitative methods. Chapter 7 presents a novel model for intervention design for sustainability as an outcome of a conceptual review. The proposed ENGAAGGE model presents an integrated model for intervention design that bridges the limitations from the current disciplinary silos for collective change. The paper provides a comprehensive review of existing intervention approaches (social marketing, community based social marketing, social practice theory, and design thinking), highlights the key elements for intervention design, and proposes the ENGAAGGE model that incorporates the strengths of existing approaches, while addressing their respective limitations. Therefore, the outcomes of this chapter provide innovative opportunities for application in future research and practice for collective change. This dissertation research brings novel contributions to theory and practice. First, this research provides an innovative application of the energy cultures framework to the residential smart grid and delivers a new framing for a smart and sustainable energy culture. The holistic understanding developed from applying this framework delivers insights for household smart grid engagement applicable to future program design. Second, the IHD segmentation analysis extends research on smart grid-enabled feedback and consumer response by the combination of a large-scale cohort and consumer segmentation. The research outcomes deliver critical recommendations for future programming to include consumer targeting and user-centred design. Third, the longevity and mixed-methods approach of the EHMS study provides novel and detailed contributions to smart grid energy cultures and engagement research to test with broader audiences. These outcomes provide insights for consumer engagement for long-term engagement and re-engagement relevant for residential smart grid programming. Fourth, the conceptual review and integrated model presented in Chapter 7 bring critical contributions to the sustainability engagement literature and provide substantial opportunities for application in future research and practice. In conclusion, this dissertation research delivers novel contributions to smart grid research for engaging consumers beyond the meter

Electricity Sector Reform in Developing Countries: A Survey of Empirical Evidence on Determinants and Performance

This paper reviews the empirical evidence on electricity reform in developing countries. We find that country institutions and sector governance play an important role in success and failure of reform; reforms appear to have increased operating efficiency and expanded access to urban customers; they have to a lesser degree passed on efficiency gains to customers, tackled distributional effects, or improved rural access. Moreover, some of the literature is not methodologically robust or on a par with general development economics literature and findings on some issues are limited and inconclusive while some important areas are yet to be addressed. Until we know more, implementation of reforms will be more based on ideology and economic theory rather than solid economic evidence.The World Bank Electricity Research Programme and the CMI Electricity Project (IR-45

Reform and Regulation of the Electricity Sectors in Developing Countries

Reform and Regulation of the Electricity Sectors in Developing Countrie

Eco-innovation opportunities in the waste management sector in Scotland

Creating more circular economies that retain and recirculate the value of resources within an economy is gaining significant attention, with the concept of industrial symbiosis assisting businesses to reduce resource leakage from local economies. An eco-industrial park applies industrial symbiosis on the scale of an industrial park and may incorporate additional features such as shared infrastructure and services that assist in reducing environmental impacts and improving resource efficiency. This paper provides an overview of the application of the industrial symbiosis concept in Scotland and presents findings of the ACE Eco-Partnerships project, which attempted to identify and develop opportunities for industrial symbiosis in the Tayside and Fife region of Scotland, particularly on the scale of eco-industrial parks. The paper provides reflection on some of the barriers to eco-industrial park development, with specific reference to “retrofitting” industrial symbiosis onto existing industrial parks versus developing new eco-industrial parks

Core Indicators for Determinants and Performance of Electricity Sector in Developing Countries

Since the early 1990s, substantial resources and effort have been spent on implementing market-oriented electricity reform in developing countries. Important sectoral, economic, and social dimensions are involved in electricity reform, but empirical analysis and evaluation have been of limited use for testing the economic rationale of reform and policy advice. This may partly be attributed to a lack of generally accepted and measured indicators for monitoring progress, impact and performance, unlike areas such as health, education, environment, sustainable development. In this paper we propose a set of indicators as a first step towards filling this gap and developing a coherent framework for studying electricity reform in developing countries covering resource and institutional endowments, key reform steps, market structure, performance, and various impacts.The World Bank Electricity Research Programme and the CMI Electricity Project (IR-45

Final report of the social pedagogy pilot programme: development and implementation

In 2008, the government commissioned Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education University of London to develop and implement a pilot programme in order to determine the impact of, and best method for, introducing a social pedagogic approach in residential children’s homes in line with the Care Matters White Paper’s commitment (DCSF 2007). The intentions were modest - to make some ‘ripples’ in the world of residential childcare. This report is of the development and implementation part of the pilot programme. There are around 2,000 children’s homes in England, run by private for profit, independent and public sector employers and around 6,500 young people are in residence at any one time (SFR 2009). Since 2002, children’s homes, as with other services for children, have been regulated by, and inspected against, national minimum standards, which, although not intended to be a benchmark of practice, or representing standardisation of provision (DH 2002), arguably implied just that. Clough, Bullock and Ward (2006) viewed the requirement to meet bureaucratic standards as risking the undervaluing of important and complex issues of quality and process. It was in this context that the pilot programme took place. As an established tradition in continental Europe, social pedagogy is often understood as ‘education in its broadest sense’ (Petrie et al. 2009) - an educational approach to social issues. Its breadth can be seen in its concern for the whole person as emotional, thinking and physical beings, promoting their active engagement in decisions about their own lives and as members of society. It is a discipline that takes account of the complexity of different social contexts. In continental European countries social pedagogues typically have a bachelor’s degree, combining academic knowledge, with practical, organisational and communication skills and often, the expressive arts and/or outdoor adventure/ environmental activities. Social pedagogues working in residential care in continental European countries expect to exercise a range of responsibilities both inward looking to the home itself and outward looking to the interface between the children’s home and the wider society to which the young person belongs. The pilot programme was designed around three groups of children’s homes or ‘pilot sites’ with differing social pedagogic input, ranging from social pedagogues trained overseas but working to residential care worker job titles, to social pedagogues working to social pedagogue job titles with, in addition, part of their time devoted to training and awareness raising activities. Children’s homes were selected for their stated support of the programme objectives and their willingness to learn about social pedagogy from the social pedagogues. Forty eight social pedagogues were recruited through employer’s recruitment procedures although some left before the end of the programme period

Friendship Village : Exploring the Critical Economic Development and Urban Design Link for Sustainable Development

Presented on December 3, 2008 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm in the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development 2nd floor classroom.Full report: Friendship Village Exploring the Critical Economic Development and Urban Design Link for Sustainable Development, January 2009Runtime: 77:11 minutes (Presentation)Runtime: 23:27 minutes (Q & A)The Friendship Village group had the charge of advising a large-scale land developer on directions for promoting sustainability in the plans for a 210 acre multi-use project in south Fulton County, Georgia. Their work included site design recommendations modeled after traditional town centers in ten case studies but also included innovative open space and stormwater management proposals and ideas about educational and health care facilities. The diverse professional audience expressed admiration and the developer’s lead representative indicated that results exceeded her expectations.Faculty Advisors: Nancey Green Leigh, Professor of City and Regional Planning ; Richard Dagenhart, Associate Professor of Architecture ; John Skach, Adjunct Professor; Senior Associate, Urban Collag

Stakeholder engagement in sustainable housing refurbishment in the UK

The UK government is committed to effectively implement a viable sustainable agenda in the social housing sector. To this end housing associations and local authorities are being encouraged to improve the environmental performance of their new and existing homes. Whilst much attention has been focused on new housing (e.g. the Code for Sustainable Homes) little effort has been focussed on improving the 3.9 (approx) million homes maintained and managed by the public sector (in England), which, given the low rate of new build and demolition (<1% in England), will represent approximately 70% of the public housing stock in 2050. Thus, if UK is to achieve sustainable public housing the major effort will have to focus on the existing stock. However, interpreting the sustainability agenda for an existing housing portfolio is not a straight foreword activity. In addition to finding a ‘technical’ solution, landlords also haveto address the socio-economic issues that balance quality of expectations of tenants with the economic realities of funding social housing refurbishment. This paper will report the findings of a qualitative study (participatory approach) that examined the processes by which a large public landlord sought to develop a long-term sustainable housing strategy. Through a series of individual meetings and group workshops the research team identified: committed leadership; attitudes towards technology; social awareness; and collective understanding of the sustainability agenda as key issues that the organisation needed to address in developing a robust and defendable refurbishment strategy. The paper concludes that the challenges faced by the landlord in improving the sustainability of their existing stock are not primarily technical, but socio-economic. Further, while the economic challenges: initial capital cost; lack of funding; and pay-back periods can be overcome, if the political will exists, by fiscal measures; the social challenges: health & wellbeing; poverty; security; space needs; behaviour change; education; and trust; are much more complex in nature and will require a coordinated approach from all the stakeholders involved in the wider community if they are to be effectively addressed. The key challenge to public housing landlords is to develop mechanisms that can identify and interpret the complex nature of the social sustainability agenda in a way that reflects local aspirations (although the authors believe the factors will exist in all social housing communities, their relative importance is likely to vary between communities) whilst addressing Government agendas

Climate Change Policy as Economic Stimulus: Evidence and Opportunities From the States

Using data from twenty states with climate change mitigation policies, creates an aggregate model to estimate their potential economic stimulus effect, as well as cost savings and reductions in fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions