IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v8y2021i1d10.1057_s41599-021-00904-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reshaping energy policy based on social and human dimensions: an analysis of human-building interactions among societies in transition in GCC countries

Author

Listed:
  • Ali Ghofrani

    (Qatar University)

  • Esmat Zaidan

    (Qatar University)

  • Mohsen Jafari

    (Rutgers University)

Abstract

Without major structural changes, social sciences can potentially bolster economic diversification and strategic planning efforts in developing countries. This article presents an analysis of a set of human-oriented dimensions to enhance energy policies associated with the building sector in developing countries with similarities to the Gulf Cooperation Council union (GCC). A clear understanding of human dimensions in the GCC union’s energy policy is crucial due to social complexities and large numbers of expatriate communities and migrant workers with unknown cultural, behavioral, and financial diversities with respect to local communities. This study evaluates the correlations of demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral dimensions with human–building interactions to identify the main contributors that create discrepancies in human habits, well-being, motivations, responsibilities, and energy use based on a sample of 2200 respondents in Qatar. Moreover, this study is extended to explore human indoor comfort perception dependencies with building features. Behavioral associations with financial drivers, including energy subsidies and demand response programs, are investigated. The patterns in the data are analyzed and attributed to applications in energy policy concerning awareness, social well-being, and interventions. The sample is clustered into various consumer classes, and a feature importance analysis is conducted via machine learning methods to find the key contributors to consumer behavior. The outcomes show profound insight into how human factors influence consumption, consequence awareness, self-responsibility, habits, norms, and comfort perception in residential and work environments. The findings of this study can assist decision-makers in creating targeted strategies to enhance the efficacy of energy policies and improve sustainability performance indicators.

Suggested Citation

  • Ali Ghofrani & Esmat Zaidan & Mohsen Jafari, 2021. "Reshaping energy policy based on social and human dimensions: an analysis of human-building interactions among societies in transition in GCC countries," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-26, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:8:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-021-00904-9
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-021-00904-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-021-00904-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-021-00904-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Konstantakopoulos, Ioannis C. & Barkan, Andrew R. & He, Shiying & Veeravalli, Tanya & Liu, Huihan & Spanos, Costas, 2019. "A deep learning and gamification approach to improving human-building interaction and energy efficiency in smart infrastructure," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(C), pages 810-821.
    2. Jia, Mengda & Srinivasan, Ravi S. & Raheem, Adeeba A., 2017. "From occupancy to occupant behavior: An analytical survey of data acquisition technologies, modeling methodologies and simulation coupling mechanisms for building energy efficiency," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P1), pages 525-540.
    3. Sofia Tsemekidi Tzeiranaki & Paolo Bertoldi & Francesca Diluiso & Luca Castellazzi & Marina Economidou & Nicola Labanca & Tiago Ribeiro Serrenho & Paolo Zangheri, 2019. "Analysis of the EU Residential Energy Consumption: Trends and Determinants," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-27, March.
    4. Delzendeh, Elham & Wu, Song & Lee, Angela & Zhou, Ying, 2017. "The impact of occupants’ behaviours on building energy analysis: A research review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1061-1071.
    5. Nilsson, Anders & Lazarevic, David & Brandt, Nils & Kordas, Olga, 2018. "Household responsiveness to residential demand response strategies: Results and policy implications from a Swedish field study," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 273-286.
    6. Elizabeth Hewitt & Yiyi Wang, 2020. "Understanding the Drivers of National-Level Energy Audit Behavior: Demographics and Socioeconomic Characteristics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-14, March.
    7. Seyyed Danial Nazemi & Esmat Zaidan & Mohsen A. Jafari, 2021. "The Impact of Occupancy-Driven Models on Cooling Systems in Commercial Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-20, March.
    8. Labanca, Nicola & Bertoldi, Paolo, 2018. "Beyond energy efficiency and individual behaviours: policy insights from social practice theories," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 494-502.
    9. Darby, Sarah J., 2020. "Demand response and smart technology in theory and practice: Customer experiences and system actors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    10. Sadeq J. Abul & Elma Satrovic & Adnan Muslija, 2019. "The Link between Energy Consumption and Economic Growth in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(5), pages 38-45.
    11. Constantine E. Kontokosta & Vincent J. Reina & Bartosz Bonczak, 2020. "Energy Cost Burdens for Low-Income and Minority Households," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(1), pages 89-105, January.
    12. Lin, Hung-Wen & Hong, Tianzhen, 2013. "On variations of space-heating energy use in office buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 515-528.
    13. Zhao, Hai-xiang & Magoulès, Frédéric, 2012. "A review on the prediction of building energy consumption," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 3586-3592.
    14. Shailendra Singh & Abdulsalam Yassine, 2018. "Big Data Mining of Energy Time Series for Behavioral Analytics and Energy Consumption Forecasting," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-26, February.
    15. Mills, Bradford & Schleich, Joachim, 2012. "Residential energy-efficient technology adoption, energy conservation, knowledge, and attitudes: An analysis of European countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 616-628.
    16. Haleh Moghaddasi & Charles Culp & Jorge Vanegas & Mehrdad Ehsani, 2021. "Net Zero Energy Buildings: Variations, Clarifications, and Requirements in Response to the Paris Agreement," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-21, June.
    17. Bertoldi, Paolo & Rezessy, Silvia & Oikonomou, Vlasis, 2013. "Rewarding energy savings rather than energy efficiency: Exploring the concept of a feed-in tariff for energy savings," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 526-535.
    18. Ida, Takanori & Motegi, Naoya & Ushifusa, Yoshiaki, 2019. "Behavioral study of personalized automated demand response in the workplace," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 1009-1016.
    19. Franke, Melanie & Nadler, Claudia, 2019. "Energy efficiency in the German residential housing market: Its influence on tenants and owners," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 879-890.
    20. Srivastava, Aman & Van Passel, Steven & Kessels, Roselinde & Valkering, Pieter & Laes, Erik, 2020. "Reducing winter peaks in electricity consumption: A choice experiment to structure demand response programs," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    21. Mustapha Ben Hassine & Nizar Harrathi, 2017. "The Causal Links between Economic Growth, Renewable Energy, Financial Development and Foreign Trade in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 7(2), pages 76-85.
    22. Alberto Salvo, 2018. "Electrical appliances moderate households’ water demand response to heat," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-14, December.
    23. Niamir, Leila & Filatova, Tatiana & Voinov, Alexey & Bressers, Hans, 2018. "Transition to low-carbon economy: Assessing cumulative impacts of individual behavioral changes," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 325-345.
    24. Thiaux, Yaël & Dang, Thu Thuy & Schmerber, Louis & Multon, Bernard & Ben Ahmed, Hamid & Bacha, Seddik & Tran, Quoc Tuan, 2019. "Demand-side management strategy in stand-alone hybrid photovoltaic systems with real-time simulation of stochastic electricity consumption behavior," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    25. Kornelis Blok & Angélica Afanador & Irina van der Hoorn & Tom Berg & Oreane Y. Edelenbosch & Detlef P. van Vuuren, 2020. "Assessment of Sectoral Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Potentials for 2030," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, February.
    26. Reames, Tony Gerard, 2016. "Targeting energy justice: Exploring spatial, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in urban residential heating energy efficiency," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 549-558.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Paolo Zangheri & Tiago Serrenho & Paolo Bertoldi, 2019. "Energy Savings from Feedback Systems: A Meta-Studies’ Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-18, October.
    2. Piselli, Cristina & Pisello, Anna Laura, 2019. "Occupant behavior long-term continuous monitoring integrated to prediction models: Impact on office building energy performance," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 667-681.
    3. Yang, Xiu'e & Liu, Shuli & Zou, Yuliang & Ji, Wenjie & Zhang, Qunli & Ahmed, Abdullahi & Han, Xiaojing & Shen, Yongliang & Zhang, Shaoliang, 2022. "Energy-saving potential prediction models for large-scale building: A state-of-the-art review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    4. Zhaoxia Wang & Yan Ding & Huiyan Deng & Fan Yang & Neng Zhu, 2018. "An Occupant-Oriented Calculation Method of Building Interior Cooling Load Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-29, May.
    5. Paulína Šujanová & Monika Rychtáriková & Tiago Sotto Mayor & Affan Hyder, 2019. "A Healthy, Energy-Efficient and Comfortable Indoor Environment, a Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-37, April.
    6. D’Oca, Simona & Hong, Tianzhen & Langevin, Jared, 2018. "The human dimensions of energy use in buildings: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 731-742.
    7. Xu, Xiaoxiao & Yu, Hao & Sun, Qiuwen & Tam, Vivian W.Y., 2023. "A critical review of occupant energy consumption behavior in buildings: How we got here, where we are, and where we are headed," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    8. Salah Bouktif & Ali Ouni & Sanja Lazarova-Molnar, 2022. "Towards a Rigorous Consideration of Occupant Behaviours of Residential Households for Effective Electrical Energy Savings: An Overview," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-30, February.
    9. Agnieszka Napiorkowska-Baryla & Miroslawa Witkowska-Dabrowska & Natalia Swidynska, 2022. "Financing of Activities Increasing the Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings in Poland," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 690-712.
    10. Tian, Wei & Song, Jitian & Li, Zhanyong & de Wilde, Pieter, 2014. "Bootstrap techniques for sensitivity analysis and model selection in building thermal performance analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 320-328.
    11. Jonathan Roth & Jayashree Chadalawada & Rishee K. Jain & Clayton Miller, 2021. "Uncertainty Matters: Bayesian Probabilistic Forecasting for Residential Smart Meter Prediction, Segmentation, and Behavioral Measurement and Verification," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-22, March.
    12. Cai, Qiran & Xu, Qingyang & Qing, Jing & Shi, Gang & Liang, Qiao-Mei, 2022. "Promoting wind and photovoltaics renewable energy integration through demand response: Dynamic pricing mechanism design and economic analysis for smart residential communities," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    13. Morton, Craig & Wilson, Charlie & Anable, Jillian, 2018. "The diffusion of domestic energy efficiency policies: A spatial perspective," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 77-88.
    14. Ebru Ergöz Karahan & Özgür Göçer & Kenan Göçer & Didem Boyacıoğlu, 2021. "An Investigation of Occupant Energy-Saving Behavior in Vernacular Houses of Behramkale (Assos)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-23, December.
    15. Matheus Koengkan & Nuno Silva & José Alberto Fuinhas, 2023. "Assessing Energy Performance Certificates for Buildings: A Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) of Portuguese Municipalities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-30, April.
    16. Ghofrani, Ali & Zaidan, Esmat & Abulibdeh, Ammar, 2022. "Simulation and impact analysis of behavioral and socioeconomic dimensions of energy consumption," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    17. Li, Zhengwei & Han, Yanmin & Xu, Peng, 2014. "Methods for benchmarking building energy consumption against its past or intended performance: An overview," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 325-334.
    18. Pennell, Grace & Newman, Sarah & Tarekegne, Bethel & Boff, Daniel & Fowler, Richard & Gonzalez, Juan, 2022. "A comparison of building system parameters between affordable and market-rate housing in New York City," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).
    19. Karen Fernandes & Y. V. Reddy, 2020. "Energy Consumption and Economic Growth in Newly Industrialised Countries of Asia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(4), pages 384-391.
    20. Afroz, Zakia & Shafiullah, GM & Urmee, Tania & Higgins, Gary, 2018. "Modeling techniques used in building HVAC control systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 64-84.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:8:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-021-00904-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.