The activation of eco-driving mental models: can text messages prime drivers to use their existing knowledge and skills?

Eco-driving campaigns have traditionally assumed that drivers lack the necessary knowledge and skills and that this is something that needs rectifying. Therefore, many support systems have been designed to closely guide drivers and fine-tune their proficiency. However, research suggests that drivers already possess a substantial amount of the necessary knowledge and skills regarding eco-driving. In previous studies, participants used these effectively when they were explicitly asked to drive fuel-efficiently. In contrast, they used their safe driving skills when they were instructed to drive as they would normally. Hence, it is assumed that many drivers choose not to engage purposefully in eco-driving in their everyday lives. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of simple, periodic text messages (nine messages in 2 weeks) on drivers’ eco- and safe driving performance. It was hypothesised that provision of eco-driving primes and advice would encourage the activation of their eco-driving mental models and that comparable safety primes increase driving safety. For this purpose, a driving simulator experiment was conducted. All participants performed a pre-test drive and were then randomly divided into four groups, which received different interventions. For a period of 2 weeks, one group received text messages with eco-driving primes and another group received safety primes. A third group received advice messages on how to eco-drive. The fourth group were instructed by the experimenter to drive fuel-efficiently, immediately before driving, with no text message intervention. A post-test drive measured behavioural changes in scenarios deemed relevant to eco- and safe driving. The results suggest that the eco-driving prime and advice text messages did not have the desired effect. In comparison, asking drivers to drive fuel-efficiently led to eco-driving behaviours. These outcomes demonstrate the difficulty in changing ingrained habits. Future research is needed to strengthen such messages or activate existing knowledge and skills in other ways, so driver behaviour can be changed in cost-efficient ways

Energy-efficient municipal heating: preliminary lessons from Beijing, Kathmandu and Edinburgh

This study explores energy-efficiency efforts related to municipal heating in the metropolitan areas of Beijing, China; Kathmandu, Nepal; and Edinburgh, Scotland. This article begins by describing its research methodology consisting primarily of research interviews and in-country surveys. It then discusses respondents’ answers and preliminary findings to questions on energy-efficiency awareness, temperature preferences, heating arrangements in buildings and problems related to existing policies and procedures. The final section presents a number of recommendations for what city planners and national policymakers can do to promote energy-efficient heating. This study is unique from previous works as its focus is hospitals, administration buildings, schools and universities rather than (more commonly studied) households, countries and energy systems. Municipal heating was also chosen because it is much less popular as an area of scholastic enquiry than other areas of energy efficiency such as cars, homes or appliances, and the study is sensitive to the importance of social attitudes and values as they relate to energy consumption and heating norms

Using cognitive work analysis to inform policy recommendations to support fuel-efficient driving

The role of man-made emissions in climate change has been a large focus of academic research and political discussion. One considerable source of emissions is everyday driving, and finding ways to reduce driving emissions is a great challenge. This paper presents the use of Cognitive Work Analysis as a potential tool in helping address this problem. Focusing on Control Task Analysis and Social Organization and Cooperation Analysis, this paper discusses the indirect role governmental organizations can play in reducing driving-related emissions. It is proposed that the use of Cognitive Work Analysis can provide insights not typically garnered from traditional academic literature surrounding eco-driving, including the role governmental organizations can play in reducing everyday emissions.</p