Exploring the effects of California's COVID-19 shelter-in-place order on household energy practices and intention to adopt smart home technologies

RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS

卷:139

Article

Zanocco, C.¹  Flora, J.¹  Rajagopal, R.¹  Boudet, H.² 

[1] Stanford Univ, Civil & Environm Engn, Y2E2,473 Via Ortega,Room 311, Stanford, CA 94305 USA

[2] Oregon State Univ, Sch Publ Policy, 300 Bexell Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 USA

关键词: COVID-19;    Coronavirus;    Shelter in place;    Stay at home;    Residential energy use;    Social practice theory;    Smart home technology;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.rser.2020.110578

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

To contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), local and state governments in the U.S. have imposed restrictions on daily life, resulting in dramatic changes to how and where people interact, travel, socialize, and work. Using a social practice perspective, we explore how California's Shelter-in-Place (SIP) order impacted household energy activities. To do so, we conducted an online survey of California residents (n = 804) during active SIP restrictions (May 5-18, 2020). We asked respondents about changes to home occupancy patterns and household energy activities (e.g., cooking, electronics usage) due to SIP restrictions, as well as perspectives toward smart energy technologies. Households reported increased midday (loam-3pm) occupancy during SIP, and this increase is related to respondent and household characteristics, such as education and the presence of minors in the home. Examining change in the frequency of household activities during SIP, presence of minors and increased midday occupancy proved important. Finally, we considered relationships to intention to purchase smart home technologies, with the presence of minors and increased activity frequency relating to greater intention to purchase. These findings demonstrate how household activities and occupancy changed under COVID restrictions, how these changes may be related to energy use in the home, and how such COVID-related changes could be shaping perspectives toward smart home technology, potentially providing insight into future impacts on household practices and electricity demand.

【 授权许可】

Free