Energy-efficiency related research has reached a growing interest in recent years due to the imminent scarcity of non-renewable resources in our environment and the impending impacts their usage have on our environment. Thus, facing the reduction of energy waste and management has become a pivotal issue in our society. To cope with energy inefficiency, the scientific research community has identified the promotion of people's behaviour change as a critical field to foster environmental sustainability. However, the body of literature shows a lack of systematic methods and processes to reach a common ground when designing technology for promoting sustainable behaviour change. Therefore, this paper contributes with a thorough review and analysis of state of the art. Firstly, theoretical works related to behaviour change are collected and studied to clarify their main concepts and theories. Secondly, the different technologies, processes, methods and techniques applied in the field are reviewed to find diverse strategies in the application of the previously explained theoretical domains. Moreover, a wide range of systems developed to improve energy efficiency through human behaviour change is analysed (from augmented objects to the Internet of Things, digital applications or websites). Finally, the detected research gaps are listed to guide future research when aiming to raise the awareness of individuals through Information and Communication Technologies. INDEX TERMS Behaviour change, Internet of Things, sustainability, sustainable behaviour change, ICT.
Addressing how human behaviour can be taken into account when designing for sustainability is an emerging topic in the development of pro-environmental person-centred smart systems. Indeed, user diversity and categorisation in the context of sustainable behaviour was already studied by some scholars in recent literature. However, the complexity of the individual present some open challenges that still have to be further investigated. In this work, behavioural theories and user characterisation are analysed together to better understand the human factors when trying to influence sustainable lifestyles and actions. Then, theoretical frameworks are combined and mapped in a novel user meta-model, coined FOX, that classifies the individual dynamically taking into account its heterogeneity and diversity. The dimensions involved in the FOX proposal are explained by describing the categorisation of each dimension. Besides, an example of the potential application of the model is exposed to better contextualise the work presented. Finally, controversial aspects and emerging ideas of the proposal are equally discussed throughout the paper as well as we discuss the use of FOX model to inform the design of behaviour change interventions related to sustainability.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations鈥揷itations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.