On the success of energy conservation in the household sector

- a matter of daily activities at individual, household and aggregate levels

Kajsa Ellegård

Technology and social change

Linköping University

Sweden

Energy Cultures ConferenceJuly 6, 2016

Contents1. Policy measures to reduce energy use in the household

sector

2. Points of departure2.1 The importance of time

2.2 Energy consumption in households

2.3 From individual to aggregate level without losing information

3. Energy use in the household sector – a time and activity

perspective3.1 Energy policy implications from the use of the home

3.2 Energy orders and limited possibilities to realize the theoretical

opportunities to reduce energy use

3.3 Model of energy use based on activity data

3.4 Multilevel visualization of activity patterns and energy use in the

household sector

4. Conclusions for policy and information campaigns on energy

savings in the household sector

”The scientific perspectives” Drawing by C E Wegmann (1930), philosopherand geologist.

Think of energy research in this way: there are many experts …on energy sources: renewables (solar, wave,wind, water, bio), fossil (oil, coal, gas) nuclear; …on energy transformation: different kinds of powergeneration facilities;…on energy distribution: electricity grid, districtheating, district cooling, fuels- each one with deep knowledge about energyissues in their field.

There are few experts on how energy is usedin order to create a sustainable everyday life as a whole:Knowledge lacks about the energy use in the complex household sector.

Implications of this for policy measures directed to households?

1. Policy measures to reduce energy use

Basics about Energy use in Sweden

Energy consumption per sector

Industry sector: 40%

Transportation sector: 23 %

Household and service sector: 38% (in 2013 was 143 TWh of which

55% was used for heating and hot water)

The total electricity consumption in the household and service sector was 70 TWh (in 2013 ) of which over 30% was used for electric appliances (23 TWh).

Policy measures used to promote energyconservation and energy efficiency• Legal restrictions and regulations (requirements to use low energy lamps; and

maximum energy use per m2 in buildings)

• Economic incentives (subsidies on renewable energy; taxes on fossil fuels)

• Information (free energy advice to citizens and SMEs; infomration campaigns)

Laws and regulations must be followed.

But economic arguments are not always percieved as valid in households – thereare constraints hindering people to act as the ”economic man”.

Information is not always percieved as relevant as by the household memberrecieving it.

How can information measures be developed so they better target the greatindividual variety in the household sector?

The sector actors are driven by different logicsCommercial sector actors should be driven by economic arguments – it is the base for business. Therefore economic policy measures ought to be suitable for making their products and operations more energyefficient.

Household sector actors are driven by the will to live a comfortable and good everyday life. Economy is a part of it but not the the main driver.

Therefore households are not always as responsive to economicincentives as policy makers imagine:

Even when information and economic measures make people aware ofthe importance to reduce energy use, the message often fails to make household members act accordingly.

Timing, location and couplings

It is important to focus on several household members daily activitiesat the same time

because- the mere context (other activities and other individuals) in which the activitiesare performed might constrain household members’ ability to reduce energyuse.

Therefore, timing, location and couplings between activitities and individuals are important.

This is the focus of my presentation.

2. Points of departure

2.1 The importance of time

How can we take into account what matters for people in their everyday life and which also is good for the environment?

Torsten Hägerstrand, who developed the time-geographic approach that I am working with, wrote:

‘‘. . . that it is very easy to dream up blue-prints for new

undertakings but very hard to imagine their fate and their consequences for other legitimate processes when put into practice.…

How can we take into account what matters for people in their everyday life and which also is good for the environment?

Torsten Hägerstrand, who developed the time-geographic approach that I am working with, wrote:

‘‘. . . that it is very easy to dream up blue-prints for new

undertakings but very hard to imagine their fate and their consequences for other legitimate processes when put into practice. Perhaps the trouble is that thought does not encounter in its own world the constraints of space and time.’’ (Hägerstrand, 1976, Geography and the study of interaction between nature and society. Geoforum 7, p 334.)

Time and space are the main grounds for several constraints on energyconservation in people’s everyday life.

We assume that time exists

But we do not know.

However, time is a useful instrument for understanding and explaining phenomenain society. So, in time-geography the assumptions are that

- Time has a direction and a constant pace (at least at the level of the experience of people)

- Since time is continous, time in itself cannot be compressed, saved or omitted

- Everyone and everything has the same amount of time every day (24 hours)

- Every action has to be taken now

- Now is the continuous transformation of the future into the past

Future

Now

Past

Time

Time as process

14

Actors are influenced by timing

Commercial housing companies are familiar with the energy efficienttechnology they install in their apartments.

Household members moving into an apartment meet a technology in their apartment which is new to them and installed by the housingcompany.

As a consequence, misunderstandings may appear on how to use the technology in an energy efficient way – there is a knowledge time gap betewen the company and the household members.

Idea about a technologicalsolution for energy savingsin a housing company

Development ofthe idea in the housingcompany

Tenants meet the technology for the first time

Time

Knowledge time gap

The technologyseems to workdecision aboutimplementation

Implementingthe technology

now

There is a knowledge time gap betweenhousing companies and tenants

Idea about a technologicalsolution for energy savingsin a housing company

Development ofthe idea in the housingcompany

Tenants meet the technology for the first time

Time

Knowledge time gap

Risk fordisappointmentin the companydue to failuresin implemen-tation

The new and energy efficient technologydoes not work according to the plans of the developers

Tenants’ experiences, habits and interests influence their understandingof the technology.

Involving tenats in the implementationof the new technology might softenthe clash between the habits/interest/experiences and the new technology– and reduce the negative effects of theknowledge time gap.

The tenants who do not use a newtechnology successfully the first timethey use it are not stupid!

The technologyseems to workdecision aboutimplementation

Implementingthe technology

There is a knowledge time gap betweenhousing companies and tenants

2.2 Energy consumption in households

Things insufficiently considered in information campaigns- the same message does not fit everybody. People value things

differently and perform different activities.

- information campaigns are directed towards individuals and do not take into consideration that most individuals actually live together in households, ignoring the social and organizational character of peoples’ use of energy in everyday life

- the information is delivered together with the bill to the person in the billing register, who might not be the one performing most energy consuming activities in the home

- the bill arrives once a month – electricity is used instantly, so the feedback is not synchronized with use

Social drivers behind energy use in households are not focussed

Some of them can be understood from different ways to use electric appliances:- Collective use: appliances are used together by two or more individuals- Individual use: appliances are used in an individualized way

Many channels and opportunities in the supply of newsand entertainment open for conflicts in the homes aboutwhat to be watched on the TV. The result is reduced collective, simultaneaous use of appliances ….

(Källa: Anna Green)

time

Two individuals,one appliance

Many channels and opportunities open for conflicts in the homesabout what to be watched on the TV. The result is reduced collective use of appliances ….

….while the individual use increases. More appliances are boughtwhich demand more electricity.

(Källa: Anna Green)

time time

time

One individual,one appliance

One individual,one appliance

Two individuals,one appliance

We are now in the era of the cyber-fire place.

Appliances for communication are used by people located at different places,

which calls for increased individual use, of appliances, servers and internet

connections. Everybody ”needs” her/his personal appliance (cell phone,

tablet, computer, TV, music machine and so on).

Electricity use increases even more.

(Källa: Anna Green)

time

time

Two individuals,two appliances

One individual,two appliances

Developments

EUs’ ecodesign directive (hard policies) has resulted in- Reduction of the energy consumption of new appliances – fine - Reduction on energy consumption from low energy lamps – fine

But the total energy use from ICT appliances in households increase becauseof the increasing numbers and more frequent use. The individualization ofappliances plays a decisive role in this development.

What knowledge is needed to reduce energy use in the household sector?I think that we need knowledge concerning people’s daily life, regarded as a meaningful sequence of activities.

2.3 From individual to aggregate level without losing information

About activities and energy in everyday life

People want to live a good life.They perform activities to achieve the goals of the projects of importance to themFor doing so they need resources and energy is an important resource.Consequently energy is not important in itself, it is important since it makes it possible to use various appliances for different purposes

Activities take time to perform, they are performed somewhere and must be integrated with activities in several projects and adjusted to otherindividuals.The activities in one project must be performed in an order that does not hinder the achievement of the goals of other projects.

Energy use in everyday life at various levels ofaggregationThe just said implies that activities are performed in a sequence that is meaningful to the individual.

I will show how activity sequences may be described and analyzed at

• individual level

and

• aggregate level

The activities in the sequences can be used for modelling individuals’ (and households’) electricity use

Visualization of an individual level activitysequence based on 3 activity types

hour24.00

00.00

12.00

breakfast

coffee

lunch

coffee

dinner

coffee

A sequence of daily activities

Other activities

Meals

Sleep

The basic sequence of sleep

and other activities of one indi-

vidual in the course of one day.

Visualization of an activity sequence of one individual

The same basic sequence for 27 individuals in a group.

Variations appear during the day among the individuals.

The basic sequence of sleep

and other activities of one indi-

vidual in the course of one day.

The same basic sequence for 27 individuals in a group.

Variations appear during the day among the individuals.

Visualization of an activity sequence of one individual and of many individuals (aggregate level)

Data about activities are collected from time-diariesThe diaries contain information about

- time of the day, when

- what acitivity was performed

- where it was performed

- together whith whom it was performed

We use time-diaries from own case studies and from the national time-use surveys performed by Statistics Sweden.

The aggregate activity pattern (based on the activity sequences of all individuals) in the population (N=463) during a weekday day.

Time

85+ Men 10 85+ Women 10 /age and gender

Care for oneselfCare for othersHousehold careReflection/recreationTravelProcure & prepare foodEmployed work/school

Example of aggregate activitypattern from time-diary data in the Swedish pilottime-use survey from 1996463 individuals in 179 householdsAge span: 10-99 years

3. Energy use in the household sector from a time use and activity perspective

3.1 Energy policy implications from the use of the home

Heating and hot water 55% of energy use in householdsInformation campaigns promote households installing thermostats for lower temperature when nobody is at home.

On average, individuals spend about 65% of the weekdays and 75% oftheir weekend days in their home.

When are the homes empty?

85+ Men 10 85+ Women 10

In the home

Away from home

Individuals’ time spent in the home (blue) and away from home (grey) on weekdays 1996

Time

a b c

Home, available 24 h/day

Time in the home, household member 1

Time in the home, household member 2

Household member out of the home

But are the household members away from home at the same time? There are three principle ways to spend time in the home in a two person household:

The home is probably empty according to principle c to a higher extent than principles a and b.- and, of course, the timing of the time in the home might vary from day to day.

Knowledge about variations in householdmembers being in the home is relevantfor households who think of investing in thermostats.

Also, if a household is interested in moving into a low energy house the time spent in the home is vital because its heating depends on peoples’ being in the house and their activities.

Thereby, such knowledge is important in relation to the success of the policies at national and international levels.

3.2 Energy orders and limitedpossibilities to realize the theoreticalopportunities to reduce energy use

Energy order – activities related to energyconsuming appliances in household members’ activity sequencesAppliances which consume energy are needed when performingactivities in order to realize household projects.

Therefore household projects aiming at

- Dinner for the family

- Clean clothes for the family

- Recreation/reflection activities

give rise to energy consumption.

Activities related to these projects are embedded in the individualhousehold members’ activity sequences and which consitute the household’s energy orders

Source: Karresand (2014) Appliances, activities and actors: Low energy housing - resources and restrictions for energy orders. Linköping University. Diss.

17:30

17:45

18:00

18:15

18:30

18:45

19:00

19:15

17:15

17:00

19:30

19:45

Time

Activity sequence forthe parents and a childin a household

Parent 1

Prepare cooking

Prepare ragu

Eat dinner

Defrost meat

Prepare ingredients

Cook pasta

Lay table

Start washingmachine

Put child to bed

Reading

Send e-mail

Watch TV

Start tumble dryerClean up after dinner

Start dishwasher

Play TV-games

Eat dinner

Look for informationon the internet

Watch TV/surf the internet

Put away things

Surf the internet

Parent 2

Eat dinner

Play TV-games

Watch TV

Brush teeth andbedtime story

Sleep

Watch TV

Play on the tablet

Child

17:30

17:45

18:00

18:15

18:30

18:45

19:00

19:15

17:15

17:00

19:30

19:45

Time

Elec

tric

ity

Mic

ro w

ave

Sto

veFo

od

pro

cess

or

Frid

ge/f

reez

erProject activities forDinner Parent 1 performs

cooking activities forthe whole family

Prepare cooking

Prepare ragu

Eat dinner

Defrost meat

Prepare ingredients

Cook pasta

Lay table

Start washingmachine

Put child to bed

Reading

Send e-mail

Watch TV

Start tumble dryer

17:30

17:45

18:00

18:15

18:30

18:45

19:00

19:15

17:15

17:00

19:30

19:45

Time

Elec

tric

ity

Mic

ro w

ave

Sto

veFo

od

pro

cess

or

Frid

ge/f

reez

er

Was

hin

gm

ach

ine

Tum

ble

dry

er

Project activities forDinnerClean clothes

Parent 1 performswashing activitiesfor the whole family

Prepare cooking

Prepare ragu

Eat dinner

Defrost meat

Prepare ingredients

Cook pasta

Lay table

Start washingmachine

Put child to bed

Reading

Send e-mail

Watch TV

Start tumble dryer

17:30

17:45

18:00

18:15

18:30

18:45

19:00

19:15

17:15

17:00

19:30

19:45

Time

Parent 1

Elec

tric

ity

Mic

ro w

ave

Sto

veFo

od

pro

cess

or

Frid

ge/f

reez

erTV C

om

pu

ter

Inte

rnet

Was

hin

gm

ach

ine

Tum

ble

dry

er

Prepare cooking

Prepare ragu

Eat dinner

Defrost meat

Prepare ingredients

Cook pasta

Lay table

Start tumble dryer

Start washingmachine

Put child to bed

Reading

Send e-mail

Watch TV

Project activities forDinnerClean clothesRaising childRecreation/reflection

17:30

17:45

18:00

18:15

18:30

18:45

19:00

19:15

17:15

17:00

19:30

19:45

Time

Parent 1

Elec

tric

ity

Mic

ro w

ave

Sto

veFo

od

pro

cess

or

Frid

ge/f

reez

erD

ish

was

her

TV Co

mo

pu

ter

Inte

rnet

Was

hin

gm

ach

ine

Tum

ble

dry

erG

ame

con

sole

Tab

let

Prepare cooking

Prepare ragu

Eat dinner

Defrost meat

Prepare ingredients

Cook pasta

Lay table

Start tumble dryer

Start washingmachine

Put child to bed

Reading

Send e-mail

Watch TV

Clean up after dinner

Start dishwasher

Play TV-games

Eat dinner

Look for informationon the internet

Watch TV/surf the internet

Put away things

Surf the internet

Parent 2

Project activities forDinnerClean clothesRaising childRecreation/reflection

Collective use

17:30

17:45

18:00

18:15

18:30

18:45

19:00

19:15

17:15

17:00

19:30

19:45

Time

Parent 1

Elec

tric

ity

Mic

ro w

ave

Sto

veFo

od

pro

cess

or

Frid

ge/f

reez

erD

ish

was

her

TV Co

mo

pu

ter

Inte

rnet

Was

hin

gm

ach

ine

Tum

ble

dry

erG

ame

con

sole

Tab

let

Prepare cooking

Prepare ragu

Eat dinner

Defrost meat

Prepare ingredients

Cook pasta

Lay table

Start tumble dryer

Start washingmachine

Put child to bed

Reading

Send e-mail

Watch TV

Clean up after dinner

Start dishwasher

Play TV-games

Eat dinner

Look for informationon the internet

Watch TV/surf the internet

Put away things

Surf the internet

Parent 2

Eat dinner

Play TV-games

Watch TV

Brush teeth andbedtime story

Sleep

Watch TV

Play on the tablet

ChildProject activities forDinnerClean clothesRaising childRecreation/reflection

Collective use

This shows the importance of couplings, timing and sequential order of activities

• The division of labour between individuals regarding the activities in a project depends on the capacity and ability of the individualsinvolved. The performer must know what to do and how to do it.

• It also depends on the individual’s couplings to and involvment in other projects

• For example, ”authoritative projects” (like employed work duringcertain time period) constrain what opportunities two individuals in a household have for sharing the activities in the realization of a project

B R

hrs

1200

0800

1600

Two individualsB and R

A project with four different activities that have to be performedwith a specific timing in a certain sequential order

Individuals and activities in a project to be performed

hrs

1200

0800

1600

There are many possiblities, in principle, toshare these activities in a project betweentwo household membersFour different activities must be performed in a given sequence at specific times in the course of a day.

The visualization shows how the four different activitiesin a project can be shared between the two household members.

B R B R B R

hrs

1200

0800

1600

B R B R B R B R B R B R B R B R B R

B R B R B R B R

hrs

1200

0800

1600

hrs

1200

0800

1600

What happens if the R individual has to be at workfrom 10:00 to 13:00 during the afternoon?

B R B R B R B R B R B R B R B R B R B R B R B R

B R B R B R B R

hrs

1200

0800

1600

…then most of the possibilities to sharethe activities in the project get lost…

B R B R B RB R

Energy use: time and timing of daily activities

• By taking time and timing into consideration we can gain an understanding of the influence of activity sequences and couplings in everyday life which reveal that daily life is more complex from an energy use perspective than it might seem at a first glance

• When considering time and timing deeper analyses can be made of the various projects in which activities appear in daily life at individual and household levels

• Time and timing ground for developing new and more precise concepts that integrate the important couplings that highly influence daily life.

• Analyses considering time and timing might be helpful in formulating policies that encourage people to take own actions in the strivings to reduce energy use. People can recognize their own daily life in such information.

Finally, I will show how knowledge about daily activities can be used to calculate energy use of people as individuals, household members and at aggregate level.

3.3 Model of energy use based on individual activity data from time-diariesHousehold energy use is measured by energy companies for billing purposes.

But they do not know what people do and what appliances they use.

Therefore, it is difficult both to give energy advice that at the same time is general and customized.

Measuring electricity use per appliance is very expensive

Modelling electricity use from peoples’ activities and appliances related to these activities is an alternative way to increase knowledge about householdsector energy use.

Power

Time

PmaxActivity

Δtmax

Power

Time

Activity Pmax

Scheme (a) a constant power Pmax is demanded during use

(a) (b)

Energy is consumed at the same time as the activity is performed

54

Power

Time

PmaxActivity

Δtmax

Power

Time

Activity Pmax

Scheme (a) a constant power Pmax is demanded during use

Scheme (b) the power demand starts after the activity is

finished and goes on until a limiting time Δtmax has elapsed.

(a) (b)

or after an activity is completed

55

Energy is consumed at the same time as the activity is performed

3.4 Multilevel visualization of activity patterns and energy use in the household sector

- Division of labor in a household – energy use implications

- Aggregate level energy use based on individuals’ daily activities

Division of labor in a household – energy use implications

• Household member specialization in activities in household projects

Example from a

• Household with small children

• Father works full time

• Mother works part time

TV, computer, radio

Appliances forlaundry and cleaning

Kitchen appliances

Legend:

Example of consequences fromspecialization on electricity usein the home(time-diaries from the Swedish 1996 time-use pilot)

Man Womanactivities

Man

’sel

ec-

tric

ity

use Woman’s

Electricity useParents’ total Electricity use

Knowledge of this kind has relevance for policymakerssince it indicates which individual in the householdto approach with information on reducing electricityconsumption in energy information campaigns.

Aggregate level energy use based on individuals’ daily activities

Diary data from the Swedish time-use survey 2010/11 as base for modelling electricity use

3244 individuals wrote 1 weekday and 1 weekend day diary each abouttheir activities

Aggregate activity pattern on weekdays, 3244 diaries, individuals 15-84 years old

Hrs

12

04

04

16

22

Men Women

Age 85 15 85 15

Care for oneselfCare for othersHousehold careReflection/recreationTravelProcure & prepare foodEmployed work/school

Age 85 1 85 1Men Women

Age 85 15 85 15

Weekend days, 3233 diaries, individuals 15-84 years old

Hrs

12

04

04

16

22

Data fromStatistics SwedenTime-use survey2010/2011

All peakca 75W

Women peakca 90 W

Men peakca 60W

All peakca 80 W

Women peakca 90 W

Men peakca 70 W

CookingIroningTelevisionComputer

Age 85 15 85 15

Hrs

12

04

04

16

22

Men Women

Age 85 15 85 15

Hrs

12

04

04

16

22

Men Women

Staying at home,weekdays 2010/11

Staying at home,weekend days2010/11

Electricity use for someactivities (max W/ind 10 min)

Women peakca 80W

All peakca 65W

Men peakca 55W

Age 85 15 85 15

Age 85 15 85 15

Hrs

12

04

04

16

22

Men Women

Men Women

Cooking activities

Eating activities, weekdays

and electricity usefor cooking, weekdaysW/ind and 10 min

Hrs

12

04

04

16

22

Households energy use for travelAll transport activities, commercial and private transportation, are reported in the same category in the statistics.

Thereby, the entire household energy use is not included in the 143 TWh used by the household and service sector according to the Swedish national statistics on energy.

However, in the time-use surveys travel activities are included

Mattias Hellgren (2015) clustered the activity sequences of the individuals according to similarities according when, for how long and by what means of transportation the individual diaries revealed.

Five clusters of travel activity patterns

Cluster A: 835 individualsTravels with short durationand various transportation means

Hellgren (2015)

Cluster B: 1013 individualsTravels with a little longerduration, dominated by car

Hellgren (2015)

Cluster C: 593 individualsTravels with longer durationdominated by public transport and walking

Hellgren (2015)

Cluster D: 660 individualsTravel with longer durationdominated by car

Hellgren (2015)

Cluster E: 143 individualsTravels with very long durationdominate most of the day

Hellgren (2015)

Energy consumption

From domestic activities (electricity)

and

from travel activities

Cluster A: Travels with short durationand various transportation means. (835 individuals)Energy use for domesticactivities (blue) dominate all day

Hellgren (2015)

Cluster B: Travels with a little longerduration, dominated by car(1013 individuals)Energy use for travel activities(yellow) dominate most of the day

Hellgren (2015)

Cluster C: Travels with longer durationdominated by public transport and walking. (593 individuals)Energy use from travel activities(yellow) dominate most of the day

Hellgren (2015)

Cluster D: Travel with longer durationdominated by car(660 individuals)Energy use from travel activities(yellow) dominate all day

Hellgren (2015)

Cluster E: Travels with very long durationdominate most of the day(143 individuals)Energy use from travel activities(yelllow) dominate all day

Hellgren (2015)

4. Conclusions for information campaigns on energy savings in the household sector

Knowledge is needed about the different ways to divide activities related to energy usebetween household members.

It is not enough to encourage purchase of more energy efficient appliances whenhouseholds buy more of each kind ( for example: individualization of the computer and telephone)

Low energy buildings do not imply energy efficient living

Energy information will improve its outcome if the message is better customized to the household member(s) actually performing the activities approached

Economic incentives will imply rebound effects (money left for other expences) whichmight spoil the effects from reduced energy use.

For households, the largest effect at present will be to reduce the use of car for travelactivities.

This said, the household projects claiming electric appliances must be considered and collective use encouraged.

In the performance of our daily activities we choose the appearance of the future sunset:

in bright light or covered in smog

Thank you!