Course Overview

When it comes to discussions about energy and climate, traditionally, the focus is always on technology; but the hot new frontier of energy research is human behaviour. More and more studies are trying to understand the behaviours that shape energy use and how people can be persuaded to use less energy in the first place.

This course will analyse energy use-related human behaviour for understanding the relationships between human behaviour and energy consumption. This allows to estimate the potential of behavioural change on energy consumption. Barriers hindering the behavioural change will be analysed; the use the principles & methodologies of Behavioural Sciences, together with good practices, as well as the proper uptake of RE&EE technologies will be explained.

Learning Objectives

• Definition of behavioural change, actors and actions to save energy
• Description of energy management: prejudices, barriers and criticisms
• Recognize human-related factors (e.g. motivation, perception, learning, and attitude or belief system) that need to be addressed to change consumer behaviour
• Explanation of behavioural economics and cognitive bias
• Examination of the EU Energy Efficiency, Energy Performance of Building, Renewable Energy and Electricity Directives
• Description of public policy and behaviour change
• Explanation of the principles and methodologies of behavioural sciences for designing projects and programs aimed at promoting energy efficiency and energy saving
• Illustration of reliable ways to measure the change in energy use
• Introduction to designing behavioural changing program 
• Encouraging uptake and proper use of RE&EE technologies

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Outcomes

• To have an overview of energy use.
  To understand the relationships between human behaviour and energy consumption.
• To be aware of the potential of energy saving through behaviour change.
• To be aware of human-related factors (e.g. motivation,  perception, learning, and attitude or belief system) that determine our behaviours in order to identify the barriers hindering the behavioural change.
• To understand the principles and methodologies of Behavioural sciences.
• To learn the methodology for calculating technical, economic and achievable savings potential through behaviour change.
• To be able to apply the principles and methodologies of Behavioural sciences for developing behavioural change program.
• To be aware of state of the art of behaviour change policies.
  To be able to  understand the impacts of policies influencing behaviour change.
  
  

Use of content and licenses

CC BY SA ND

Course Structure

• Lesson 1 - Introduction to behaviour change for energy efficiency
• Lesson 2 - Path (main components) of the new Energy Transition
• Lesson 3 - Behavioral change, actors/actions to save energy and related prejudices, barriers and criticisms
• Lesson 4 - Introduction to the design of a behavioral modification program

Teacher

Antonio Disi