The SAVE ENERGY project also focused in constructing and developing a practical methodology for the User Behaviour Transformation (UBT), which is the basis of any planned action in this potential field for saving energy, including a toolbox, which compiles the best practices observed during the duration of the project that have proven results in achieving user behaviour transformation.

A number of slightly different behaviour change techniques were used throughout the pilots enabling a wide range of lessons to be learnt and culminating in a best practice generic methodology. This methodology is described as a stepwise process, supplemented with an energy behaviour change toolbox (e.g. meetings, displays, real-time information, serious games, etc.) to identify the most appropriate techniques for a targeted behaviour transformation programme.

The UBT Process and Toolbox are based on the results from pilot testing and have been developed through a series of meetings and workshops in the project. It should however be adapted to each case in order to gain maximum effect. In order to be applied, one must have knowledge about their “pilot”. This includes facts about the building, energy management and final users. In the following sections, a more thorough description of the UBT process and Toolbox are given.

Metered energy data was used to display performance and also to monitor savings. The actual savings can be calculated either by comparison with a baseline (+/- corrections) or by comparison with a control unit exhibiting a very similar energy use profile.

User Behaviour Transformation Process

The UBT process is divided into three phases (Preparation, Execution and Validation). Each phase consists of a number of actions (rectangular boxes) and decisions (diamond boxes). The flowchart below describes the UBT process and each phase with its corresponding actions is outlined below.

The process is incremental and therefore uses the advantage of taking small steps, evaluating, adjusting and then starting next step. In this way control is maintained and changes can be easily implemented. In the experience of SAVE ENERGY pilots these changes are often initiated by the users. It is very important to keep a close dialog with the users throughout the UBT process (Living Lab approach) as they often the key in pointing out possible problems and/or opportunities.

User Behaviour Transformation Process

Preparation Phase

This phase consists in the evaluation of corporate objectives and general policies, City objectives, EU goals other existing policies, and also the evaluation at general level of energy use education and motivation of the users. In this matter, an energy audit of the building is required (often already done by local authorities).

The outcome of the evaluation gives a clear identification of the behavelets, setting therefore the issues that should be addressed in the following implementation of the UBT process. It will also serve as basis to define the goals to be achieved, namely what it is possible to be achieved and what cost is acceptable for achieving it.

From here it is selected the most appropriate tools from the Toolbox (see Toolbox below) and from the Technology box (energy efficient and ICT technology such as meters, sensors, gateways, displays etc.) for achieving the programme goals at an acceptable cost. ICT based technology plays an important role in providing the user with the most important information (whether it is real time information or not).

The next step is to plan the activities. One of the most important tasks is to plan for the user involvement, namely plan meetings schedule, how and when to provide information to the users, schedule milestones, etc and very importantly, when and how to prompt users. One thing also to specifically consider is clearly define who the user is. Of course people living or working in the building are considered as users, but perhaps also local management, house owners or even visitors should or can be considered as users.

Execution phase

It starts with the preparation of the execution phase by installing technology, establishing reference baseline, correction factors that should be considered in energy measurements, etc. The reference baseline can normally be established in two ways: either by having historical energy consumption data (or plan for your own reference period where the historical data is established) or by having a reference building or site to compare with (often more complicated to guarantee the accuracy of the measurements due to a “combined effect” between sites).

The launch of the programme officially, should be done involving all the identified users so that everyone is aware and committed with the process and identified with the goals to be achieved.

The operation of the process is followed by monitoring technology and users in order to assess that everything is running normally and according to plan. During this step, the re-evaluation of the goals should be called into question. In case of need to redefine the goals the process should be restarted from the preparation phase, in the evaluation step. This has a purpose since if it comes to a point where new goals have to be defined it is stepwise to recheck the tools being used (new or different tools may be needed from the Toolbox) and the planning of the UBT process.

Validation phase

This phase consists in the review of the progress and analyses of the intermediate and final results. This will answer if adjustments are needed or if the goals have been reached. Intermediate reports about the current status compared to the goals are important to be produced after every review.

In the SAVE ENERGY project the incremental cycle was around 3 months where the results were analysed and decisions on improvements were made. A final report should be issued stating the results compared to the defined goals after finalizing the process.

User Behaviour Transformation Toolbox

The UBT toolbox has been developed by the SAVE ENERGY project to assist in the selection of appropriate tools to be used within the UBT process. Examples of these tools are meetings, serious games, signage and incentives – they are listed in the first column in the next Figure. It is understood that energy user behaviour is based primarily on five sub-conscious questions that we all ask ourselves: Is there a problem?; Do I know what to do about it?; Do I care?; Will the solution work?; What will my peers think of my behaviour? These questions can be placed into two groups, those that can be answered by education and those that need a motivational element. Even when all of these questions have been answered positively by the sub-conscious mind, when we are fully educated and motivated, we also sometimes need to be prompted or reminded what to do.

User Behaviour Transformation Toolbox

The objective of any UBT programme is to effectively answer the five questions in the context of a specific environment and also to act as a prompt. The colour coding in each cell is an indication of how useful each tool may be in answering each of the questions. A darker colour indicates useful and lighter indicates not very useful. At the start of the UBT process and during each validation phase, the range of tools can be adjusted to meet the identified need. It should be noted that each tool has an associated cost and at all times the value (€, kgCO2 or kWh saved) of the potential change must be assessed against this cost.

The Living Lab methodology played a key role in defining the best practices to implement the UBT process and toolbox in each one of the pilots.