Behavior Change for Energy Conservation: Principles and

Practices to Engage the Campus Community

Marian Huhman, PhD Chair, Energy Conservation & Building Standards SWATeam, UIUC Karl Helmink Associate Director, Utilities and Energy, UIUC

Energy Usage Trend FY07-FY16

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FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16

HDD BTU/GSF

Actual BTU /Sq Ft / Year (EUI) iCAP Goals, BTU/GSF Gross input, BTU/GSF HDD

Down by 27%

Lots has been done. . .

Retro-commissioning Lighting upgrades Building improvements ESCO’s

But. . .

This talk

Principles of behavior change Engaging the campus community Projects underway at UIUC Perspectives

Principles of Changing behavior

Make doing the right thing . . .

Easy, Fun, Popular

Right decision = Easy

Lincoln Hall

Stairs vs

elevator

Right decision = Stair prompts

More stair prompts

Stair prompts

Fun/Enjoyable

https://www.google.com/search?q=stair+prompts&tbm=isch&imgil=pVssCi0KtCgRcM%253A%253BUKGbgbtpnczshM%253Bhttps%25

Popular--Social pressure to fit in

www.google.com/search?q=watersmart+smiley+faces&tbm=isch&imgil=2E6fvbCJZ4OR-M%253A%253BdThC1AKYVoZi8M%25

Recap:

Easy, fun, popular

Design to make it easy

Lead users to the right choice.

Choice architect

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=architect+photos&fr=mcafee&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Flawfirmintranet.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2Farchitect.jpg#id=2

Choice Architect

Combat obesity: Put fruits and veggies in front. Energy conservation: Occupancy sensors

Nudges

Nudge to the right choice, but (generally) don’t force.

Behavior change: what works

Altruism--usually not.

Behavior change: what works

Awareness alone is not enough. Knowledge often needed, but not sufficient. For most of us, incentives are needed

Behavior change: what works

Humans take the path of least resistance.

Make the preferable choice the default.

Example: Automatic closure of fume hoods

Behavior change: Communication

Inspiring messages Pledges: “I pledge to turn off my computer every night this week.” Not a general statement: “Energy conservation is important.” Rather, a specific behavior: “Turn off your room lights every time you leave your room.”

Realistic expectations

Campaigns to change behavior: 5 – 8 percentage points change. If use fines, taxes, regulations: 16 percentage points change.

Illinois Climate Action Plan

Engage and incentivize the campus community in energy conservation, including a comprehensive energy conservation

campaign, with at least 50% of units participating by FY20.

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Illini Lights Out April 15, 2016 20 student volunteers

Campus engagement in energy conservation

9 buildings

Pizza for incentive

Results: • 1500 lights

turned off • 70 windows

closed.

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Eco-Olympics

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Eco-Olympics Competition between dorms.

Incentive is a party and trophy.

Campus engagement in energy conservation

❑ Certified Green Office Program

❑ Campus offices do self-assessment of

sustainable actions.

❑ Get certificate if meet criteria

Campus engagement in energy conservation

❑ Energy Conservation Incentive Program

❑ Awards to facilities with top energy

conservation results.

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Fume hood—Shut the Sash Student led pilot project in 1 building

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Student project 1:

“Green Hoods”

• Information

• Reminders

• Praise

• Promising results

Fume hoods A gentle reminder to shut the sash when not in use. Thanks for saving energy! Green Hoods [date] Thank you for helping us reach our ICAP objectives! Karl Helmink, Facilities & Services The Student Sustainability Committee Robert Hauser, Dean, College of ACES

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Student project 2:

• Attitudes

• Barriers

• Motivators

• Influences

Fume hoods Study:

“Fume Hood Usage: A Qualitative Examination of Energy Conservation in UIUC Labs”

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Results:

Knowledge/awareness about proper fume hood usage—OK for faculty and lab managers; poor for students at all levels. Student level: confusion about when to shut sash or turn off the fume hood Shutting the sash is burdensome Lack of perceived benefit

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Results:

Motivators: Metrics of lab’s progress (e.g.,$ saved) Rewards—food and competitions Reminders would help

Others: FUME HOODS

Harvard’s Shut the Sash competition Saves more energy than any other behavioral program ■Around $240,000/year Bi-monthly e-mails and real-time collection

BUDGET for Green Labs Institution Annual Budget Work Force Time devoted

Harvard Unspecified about $100k

1 full-time staff, 2 part-time faculty, 2 students

75-82 hrs/wk + 1 part-time faculty

Stanford Unspecified 1 full-time staff, Office of Sustainability faculty, student interns

Unspecified

Texas $28K 1 part-time staff, several faculty members, 6 students

50+ hrs/wk from students

UC Boulder ~$100K 1 part time 0.8 FTE, 10 students

~92 hrs/wk

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Includes:

• Lights & electronics

• Freezers

• Fume hoods

• Chemical usage & disposal

• Recycling

Working toward Certified Green Labs program

Campus Budget

pressures

◻1700 Fume Hoods (approx.) ■Annual Energy Cost $5-8 million

◻Campus Lab Buildings ■Annual Energy Cost over $15 million

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Recent RCx

Building Discussion

◻ Natural Resources Building ■ 30 Fume Hoods in the building ■ Only 3 Fume Hoods are operational ■ 10 VAV fume hoods added in 90’s

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Need to balance safety w/ energy savings

◻ Typical RCx conversations ■ Pros

■ Fume Hood switches ■ Green attitude

■ Cons ■ Chemical clean up needed ■ Future grant work may arrive ■ Upgrade work can be expensive ■ Energy awareness needs to improve

Campus engagement in energy conservation

◻ Theory Number of needed fume hoods is decreasing in select areas of campus. ■ Change in 30 year old labs. ■ Campus parties must agree to take fume hoods out of service.

Campus engagement in energy conservation

◻How to monitor usage? ■DDC control trending ■Physical inspection

Campus engagement in energy conservation

Questions