Behaviour-based facilities energy management framework for higher education students' residence in Ghana

Adopting desirable energy-related behaviours in built facilities have greater potential towards reducing the demand for energy and energy savings. Promoting desirable energy behaviour can be achieved through understanding of users’ behaviour and its determinants to develop appropriate energy saving programmes. However, research on facilities users’ behaviour and facilities energy management is limited within the domain of facilities management, especially in the higher education environment. The main question addressed in this study is: how can users’ behaviour be incorporated into facilities energy management? This study aims to explore the energy use behaviour of students living in higher education residential facilities. The objectives were to determine the factors that influence residential students’ energy use behaviour from the students’ and managers’ perspectives respectively; to identify energy management practices implemented in the residential facilities; and to develop a behaviour-based facilities energy management framework. To achieve these objectives, the study adopted a multi models approach to mixed methods research. The study was situated within pragmatist paradigm with emphasis on qualitative approach. Implementation of energy management practices and energy use behaviour of students from six higher education institutions in Ghana were investigated using survey, semi-structured interview and focus group. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the survey data whilst interview and focus group data were analysed using content analysis with MAXQDA 12 qualitative analysis software. Analysis of both the survey and the interview data revealed that, energy management practices were least implemented in all the institutions. In addition, the results indicate that there is much room for improvement in students’ energy saving behaviour. Furthermore, the analysis revealed four key factors that influence students’ energy use behaviour from the managers’ perspective: institutional, economic, perceived behavioural control and attitude. From the students’ perspective, five key factors were found to influence students’ energy use behaviour across all the four behaviours studied: attitude, social, habit, physical and economic factors. The study developed and validated behaviour-based facilities energy management framework (BFEM) to manage energy in students’ residential facilities. This study contributes to knowledge by integrating individuals’ behaviour, energy management and facilities management toward energy savings

Assessing the Role of Housing Microfinance in the Low-income Housing Market in Ghana

Housing Microfinance (HMF) is becoming an increasingly attractive and innovative source of low-income housing finance for Low-income households (LIHs) in developing countries to meet their housing needs. Many countries in the developing world such as India, Bangladesh among others are developing housing finance policies that recognised the role and importance of such innovative mechanisms. However, in the case of Ghana, despite the over 2,234 Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) spread over the country, few are into lending for housing activities. This paper assessed the role of HMF in the low-income housing market. The paper relied on extant literature and realised that HMF could play a fundamental role in solving the low-income housing challenge faced by many LIHs in Ghana. The paper concludes that HMF could help LIHs to regularise land tenure, acquire building materials and tools, acquire building designs and skills development, housing infrastructure delivery, finance new and home improvements, improve low-income housing governance and encourage community partnerships and development. The paper made some valuable suggestions to overcome the barriers and challenges associated with HMF delivery in Ghana

Energy Management in Public Higher Education Institutions in Ghana

This paper investigates the implementation of energy management key practices in six public higher education institutions in Ghana in order to identify the existence of potential to save energy. Data for this research was obtained through questionnaire based on an energy management assessment measurement tool involving heads of estates/property and maintenance departments of the studied institutions. Total of 45 key practices adapted from previous studies has been used to assess the implementation of energy management in the respective institutions in Ghana. The study revealed that implementation of energy management key practices was generally low across all the phases. Six key practices - informing of the reasons/need for energy management, motivation, conducting economic analyses, tracking and targeting energy usage and key energy use groups, and reviewing building drawings and equipment specification - were not implementad by any institution. The key practices that were implemented quite well in the planning, implementation and monitoring phase respectively were: ‘gaining top management commitment’ and ‘providing sufficient tools’; improving sufficiency of electrical appliances’; and ‘advising on energy matters’. The findings from the study has shown that energy management is an untapped potential to reduce electricity cost in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ghana. Keywords: Energy, energy management; energy management key practices; higher education institutions, Ghana