IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v139y2021ics1364032120308625.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • Zanocco, C.
  • Flora, J.
  • Rajagopal, R.
  • Boudet, H.

Abstract

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 (10am–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.

Suggested Citation

  • Zanocco, C. & Flora, J. & Rajagopal, R. & Boudet, H., 2021. "Exploring the effects of California's COVID-19 shelter-in-place order on household energy practices and intention to adopt smart home technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:139:y:2021:i:c:s1364032120308625
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2020.110578
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032120308625
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2020.110578?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. Huebner, Gesche & Shipworth, David & Hamilton, Ian & Chalabi, Zaid & Oreszczyn, Tadj, 2016. "Understanding electricity consumption: A comparative contribution of building factors, socio-demographics, appliances, behaviours and attitudes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 692-702.
    2. Sorrell, Steve, 2015. "Reducing energy demand: A review of issues, challenges and approaches," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 74-82.
    3. Yilmaz, S. & Weber, S. & Patel, M.K., 2019. "Who is sensitive to DSM? Understanding the determinants of the shape of electricity load curves and demand shifting: Socio-demographic characteristics, appliance use and attitudes," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    4. Wilson, Charlie & Hargreaves, Tom & Hauxwell-Baldwin, Richard, 2017. "Benefits and risks of smart home technologies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 72-83.
    5. Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Davidson, Rosemary & Bicket, Martha & Whitmarsh, Lorraine, 2013. "Social barriers to the adoption of smart homes," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 363-374.
    6. Strengers, Yolande, 2012. "Peak electricity demand and social practice theories: Reframing the role of change agents in the energy sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 226-234.
    7. Stelmach, Greg & Zanocco, Chad & Flora, June & Rajagopal, Ram & Boudet, Hilary S., 2020. "Exploring household energy rules and activities during peak demand to better determine potential responsiveness to time-of-use pricing," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    8. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Furszyfer Del Rio, Dylan D., 2020. "Smart home technologies in Europe: A critical review of concepts, benefits, risks and policies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Indre Siksnelyte-Butkiene, 2021. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic to the Sustainability of the Energy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Muttaqee, Mahmood & Stelmach, Greg & Zanocco, Chad & Flora, June & Rajagopal, Ram & Boudet, Hilary S., 2024. "Time of use pricing and likelihood of shifting energy activities, strategies, and timing," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    3. Kola-Bezka, Maria & Leki, Krzysztof, 2024. "Household energy behaviour in the times of crisis: Lessons for policy initiatives from peripheral, fossil-dependent regions of the European Union," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).

    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. Große-Kreul, Felix, 2022. "What will drive household adoption of smart energy? Insights from a consumer acceptance study in Germany," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    2. Parag, Yael, 2021. "Which factors influence large households’ decision to join a time-of-use program? The interplay between demand flexibility, personal benefits and national benefits," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    3. Filippo Corsini & Rafael Laurenti & Franziska Meinherz & Francesco Paolo Appio & Luca Mora, 2019. "The Advent of Practice Theories in Research on Sustainable Consumption: Past, Current and Future Directions of the Field," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Chamaret, Cécile & Steyer, Véronique & Mayer, Julie C., 2020. "“Hands off my meter!” when municipalities resist smart meters: Linking arguments and degrees of resistance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    5. Tu, Gengyang & Faure, Corinne & Schleich, Joachim & Guetlein, Marie-Charlotte, 2021. "The heat is off! The role of technology attributes and individual attitudes in the diffusion of Smart thermostats – findings from a multi-country survey," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    6. Attour, Amel & Baudino, Marco & Krafft, Jackie & Lazaric, Nathalie, 2020. "Determinants of energy tracking application use at the city level: Evidence from France," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    7. Rohde, Friederike & Quitzow, Leslie, 2021. "Digitale Energiezukünfte und ihre Wirkungsmacht: Visionen der smarten Energieversorgung zwischen Technikoptimismus und Nachhaltigkeit," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 189-211.
    8. Su-Yen Chen & Chiachun Lee, 2019. "Perceptions of the Impact of High-Level-Machine-Intelligence from University Students in Taiwan: The Case for Human Professions, Autonomous Vehicles, and Smart Homes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-14, November.
    9. Birgul Basarir-Ozel & Hande Bahar Turker & Vesile Aslihan Nasir, 2022. "Identifying the Key Drivers and Barriers of Smart Home Adoption: A Thematic Analysis from the Business Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, July.
    10. Attié, Elodie & Meyer-Waarden, Lars, 2022. "The acceptance and usage of smart connected objects according to adoption stages: an enhanced technology acceptance model integrating the diffusion of innovation, uses and gratification and privacy ca," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    11. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Martiskainen, Mari & Furszyfer Del Rio, Dylan D., 2021. "Knowledge, energy sustainability, and vulnerability in the demographics of smart home technology diffusion," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    12. Morley, Janine, 2018. "Rethinking energy services: The concept of ‘meta-service’ and implications for demand reduction and servicizing policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 563-569.
    13. Pal, Debajyoti & Zhang, Xiangmin & Siyal, Saeed, 2021. "Prohibitive factors to the acceptance of Internet of Things (IoT) technology in society: A smart-home context using a resistive modelling approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    14. Lisa Diamond & Alexander Mirnig & Peter Fröhlich, 2023. "Encouraging Trust in Demand-Side Management via Interaction Design: An Automation Level Based Trust Framework," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-31, March.
    15. Leanne S. Giordono & June Flora & Chad Zanocco & Hilary Boudet, 2022. "Food Practice Lifestyles: Identification and Implications for Energy Sustainability," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-19, May.
    16. Daniel J. Mallinson & Saahir Shafi, 2022. "Smart home technology: Challenges and opportunities for collaborative governance and policy research," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 39(3), pages 330-352, May.
    17. Baudier, Patricia & Ammi, Chantal & Deboeuf-Rouchon, Matthieu, 2020. "Smart home: Highly-educated students' acceptance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    18. Simon Peter Larsen & Kirsten Gram-Hanssen & Line Valdorff Madsen, 2023. "In Control or Being Controlled? Investigating the Control of Space Heating in Smart Homes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, June.
    19. Wei Gu & Peng Bao & Wenyuan Hao & Jaewoong Kim, 2019. "Empirical Examination of Intention to Continue to Use Smart Home Services," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-12, September.
    20. Furszyfer Del Rio, D.D., 2022. "Smart but unfriendly: Connected home products as enablers of conflict," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).

    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:eee:rensus:v:139:y:2021:i:c:s1364032120308625. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    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.