1. 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

2. Energy Usage Trend FY07-FY16

3. Lots has been done. . . Retro-commissioning Lighting upgrades
Building improvements
ESCO’s

4. But. . .

5. This talk Principles of behavior change Engaging the campus community
Projects underway at UIUC
Perspectives

6. Principles of Changing behavior
Make doing the right thing . . .
Easy, Fun, Popular

7. Right decision = Easy
Lincoln Hall
Stairs vs
elevator

8. Right decision = Stair prompts

9. More stair prompts
Stair prompts

10. Fun/Enjoyable

11. Popular--Social pressure to fit in

12. Recap:
Easy, fun, popular

13. Choice architect Design to make it easy
Lead users to the right choice.
Choice architect

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

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

16. Behavior change: what works
Altruism--usually not.

17. Behavior change: what works
Awareness alone is not enough.
Knowledge often needed, but not sufficient.
For most of us, incentives are needed

18. Behavior change: what works
Humans take the path of least resistance.
Make the preferable choice the default.
Example: Automatic closure of fume hoods

19. 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.”

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

21. 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.

22. Campus engagement in energy conservation
Illini Lights Out April 15, 2016
20 student volunteers

23. Campus engagement in energy conservation
9 buildings
Pizza for incentive
Results:
1500 lights turned off
70 windows closed.

24. Campus engagement in energy conservation
Eco-Olympics

25. Campus engagement in energy conservation
Eco-Olympics
Competition between dorms. Incentive is a party and trophy.

26. Campus engagement in energy conservation
Certified Green Office Program
Campus offices do self-assessment of sustainable actions.
Get certificate if meet
criteria

27. Campus engagement in energy conservation
Energy Conservation Incentive Program
Awards to facilities with top energy conservation results. .

28. Campus engagement in energy conservation
Fume hood—Shut the Sash
Student led pilot project in 1 building

29. 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

30. 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”

31. 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

32. Campus engagement in energy conservation
Results:
Motivators:
Metrics of lab’s progress (e.g.,$ saved)
Rewards—food and competitions
Reminders would help

33. Others: FUME HOODS Harvard’s Shut the Sash competition
Saves more energy than any other behavioral program
Around $240,000/year
Bi-monthly s
and real-time collection

34. 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
1 full-time staff, Office of Sustainability faculty, student interns
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

35. Campus engagement in energy conservation
Includes:
Lights & electronics
Freezers
Fume hoods
Chemical usage & disposal
Recycling
Working toward Certified Green Labs program

36. Campus engagement in energy conservation
Campus Budget pressures
1700 Fume Hoods (approx.)
Annual Energy Cost $5-8 million
Campus Lab Buildings
Annual Energy Cost over $15 million

37. Campus engagement in energy conservation
Natural Resources Building
30 Fume Hoods in the building
Only 3 Fume Hoods are operational
10 VAV fume hoods added in 90’s
Recent RCx Building Discussion

38. 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

39. 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.

40. Campus engagement in energy conservation
How to monitor usage?
DDC control trending
Physical inspection

41. Questions