17 research outputs found

    Saving energy at home: Exploring the role of behavior regulation and habit

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    Global demand for energy, environmental concerns over power generation emissions, and rising household energy costs have heightened interest in exploring ways to reduce energy consumption. Numerous approaches have been adopted, including those that build on the important recognition of consumer intentions as a predictor of behavior. However, the literature suggests intentions only moderately explain behavior. Thus, there is a case for further research to explore how the intention to behavior relationship can be strengthened. In response, this study contributes to a better understanding of how to reduce household energy consumption, by investigating the direct, and moderating effects integrated regulation and external regulation, as well as habit, have on the relationship between intention and behavior. The study draws on a large sample of household energy consumers who completed online surveys two months apart. The findings reveal a strong indirect relationship between integrated regulation and behavior through intention, and a significant, direct, and negative relationship between external regulation and behavior. While external regulation moderated the positive relationship between intentions and behavior, the moderating effects of integrated regulation and habit were not significant. Further, a direct effect for habit on behavior was found. These findings suggest regulation types play different roles in affecting consumer intentions and behavior, and support the importance of habit as a predictor of energy consumption

    Advanced Methods Comparisons of Reaction Rates in the Purdue Fast Breeder Blanket Facility

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    A review of worldwide results revealed that reaction rates in the blanket region are generally underpredicted with the discrepancy increasing with penetration; however, these results vary widely. Experiments in the large uniform Purdue Fast Breeder Blanket Facility (FBBF) blanket yield an accurate quantification of this discrepancy. Using standard production code methods (diffusion theory with 50 group cross sections), a consistent Calculated/Experimental (C/E) drop-off was observed for various reaction rates. A 50% increase in the calculated results at the outer edge of the blanket is necessary for agreement with experiments. The usefulness of refined group constant generation utilizing specialized weighting spectra and transport theory methods in correcting this discrepancy was analyzed. Refined group constants reduce the discrepancy to half that observed using the standard method. The surprising result was that transport methods had no effect on the blanket deviations; thus, transport theory considerations do not constitute or even contribute to an explanation of the blanket discrepancies. The residual blanket C/E drop-off (about half the standard drop-off) using advanced methods must be caused by some approximations which are applied in all current methods. 27 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab
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