Default options as potential tools for promoting energy-efficient behaviour: a lab study

User preferences and behaviour are often pointed out as the main causes contributing to the gap between expected and actual energy use in multifamily buildings.

To promote energy-efficient behaviours among diverse building users, default options could be less intrusive approaches.

Using preliminary insights from an on-going project (P49576-1) as a base, this project aims to acquire a better understanding regarding the influences that default options have on the users and household energy use.

Different default options (e.g. standard choices of lighting level, lighting control, equipment, indoor and water temperatures, water flow) will be tested among 30 participants in the full-scale lab where effects on user experience, energy-related behaviour and actual energy use will be investigated, taking individual psychological factors into account.

Project results will add knowledge on the impact of design on user behaviours, well-being and energy use.