PERSONAL ATTITUDE AND ENERGY CONSERVATION BEHAVIOUR IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

Abstract

The global increase in demand for energy has resulted energy productions to rise while resources continue to diminish. The issue of stress on the environment has been highlighted for several years and until today; this is still a hot topic for discussion. The importance of conserving energy has been reiterated numerous times and efforts to raise awareness and educate the public have long been undertaken. It is evident that energy consumption and demand in China has been gradually increasing and would most likely continue to do so. Therefore, the focus for this research is undertaken in Hangzhou, China within five residential complexes from two different communities. With over 2000 households in these regions, the number of complete and usable responses received was 220, which indicates a sample size of 220. These collected data were then used to conduct statistical analyses which include, but are not limited to, bootstrapping and sobel tests through adopting the Partial Least Squares and Structural Equation Modelling method. To achieve the following objectives: (1) To identify the factors influencing attitude (2) To determine whether intention will result in attitude having a full or partial mediating effect on energy conservation behaviour (3) To derive a model depicting the influence of personal attitude on energy conservation behaviour and (4) To determine whether the intervention type is a determining factor in energy savings behaviour. It was discovered that attitude did have both direct and indirect effects on energy saving behaviour where intention was found to partially mediate the influence of attitude on energy saving behaviour. Furthermore, the consultation group was found to be the most effective method of changing energy saving behaviours of residents and their attitudes towards energy conservation. Therefore, this research demonstrates the importance of conserving energy to reduce energy consumption and demand, and thereby mitigating the need for production and supply of energy and its resources.