Technologies providing opportunities for home energy management have been on the rise in recent years, however, it's not clear how well the technologyas it's currently being developed-will be able to deliver energy saving or demand shifting benefits. The current study undertakes an analysis of 313 home energy management (HEM) products to identify key differences in terms of functionality and quality. Findings identified opportunities for energy savings (both behavioural and operational) as well as load shifting across most product categories, however, in many instances other potential benefits related to convenience, comfort, or security may limit the realisation of savings. This is due to lack of information related to energy being collected and presented to users, as well as lack of understanding of how users may interact with the additional information and control provided. While the current study goes some way to identify the technical capabilities and potential for HEM products to deliver savings, it is recommended that further work expand on this to identify how users interact with these technologies in their home, in both a standalone and fully integrated smart home environment to deliver benefits to both homes and the grid.

Residential energy conservation is among the most efficient means of reducing emissions, yet behavior is lagging behind this potential, suggesting this is an area where psychology can contribute. Research suggests that conservation behaviors may cluster into distinct dimensions, and a greater understanding of these differences could improve intervention. This article explores this idea through systematic literature review and analysis of survey data. Content analysis of 28 articles showed strong support for two primary dimensions (curtailment and efficiency), with up to nine defining attributes. However, analysis also identified inconsistencies, leaving questions about their validity. Factor analysis of survey data identified two principal components along these dimensions; subsequent analyses revealed several differences in their predictors. Results provide support for a dimensional approach and suggest further research into underlying attributes. Although the curtailment versus efficiency dichotomy may be useful, it also has the potential to obscure high leverage maintenance behaviors, especially for renters.

Connection to others predicts pro-social behavior and personal well-being. Connection to nature predicts pro-environmental behavior and personal well-being. Cohousing is a residential development intended to enhance residents' connection to others and nature, but systematic study of the transformational practices adopted to promote connection has been lacking. Data from a national survey of cohousers in the US (N ¼ 559) were used to create a typology of cohousing practices; measures of connection to community and nature were regressed on self-reported frequency of participation in the resultant categories of practices. Stewardship of the natural environment and fellowship and culture practices predicted greater connection to nature. Cohousing core, sharing and support, and fellowship and culture practices predicted greater connection to community. The concepts of connection to nature, connection to community, and transformational practices warrant further development in terms of theory and measurement.

The role of vehicle driver behavior has been ignored in prior energy and environmental policy making. Laboratory procedures that produce the fuel economy estimates posted on every new car sold in the US are designed to preclude the effects of differences between drivers. Yet, every vehicle states the caveat, ''Actual results will vary for many reasons, including driving conditions and how you drive and maintain your vehicle." Eco-driving as means of strategically taking advantage of this variability has been inconsistently defined in conceptual analyses and variously operationalized in empirical analyses. The present research clarifies, synthesizes, and expands on prior definitions of eco-driving to develop a comprehensive and precise definition and typology of eco-driving behaviors. The resultant typology includes six mutually exclusive classes of behavior: driving, cabin comfort, trip planning, load management, fueling, and maintenance. This typology establishes a basis for systematic research to determine energy and climate impacts and develop effective policies and interventions for different types of eco-driving.

HIGHLIGHTS  Lack of data on occupant comfort leads to energy waste in campus buildings  Our participatory thermal feedback system collected 10,000 comfort votes in a year  We used the comfort feedback to prioritize energy retrofits in buildings  We could address many emerging problems remotely, i.e., without physical inspection  A closed-loop controller automatically incorporated feedback into a control strategy

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The burgeoning smart home market brings opportunities for home energy management systems (HEMS). Despite hundreds of smart HEM products on the market and many invested stakeholders, consumer adoption is lagging behind expectations. Past research in this space has focused on smart home technology (SHT) in general, rather than particular products with HEM potential. Conflating smart HEMS with all SHT is problematic because there is a wide range of smart home products and functions, toward which consumers may have varying attitudes. Past work has also rarely distinguished between various stages of the adoption process that lead up to smart HEMS purchase (Knowledge, Persuasion, and Decision Stages). This research used a Diffusion of Innovations framework and survey data from 709 California utility customers to assess the current market and barriers to HEM smart hardware adoption. Cluster analysis based on consumer awareness, interest, and ownership of HEMS revealed four consumer segments at different positions along the path to adoption: Unfamiliar, Unpersuaded, Persuaded, and Owners. Each group had a unique demographic and psychographic profile with implications for different sets of relevant barriers to adoption.

Previous research has shown that under-ventilation of classrooms is common and negatively impacts student health and learning. To advance understanding of contributing factors, this study visited 104 classrooms from 11 schools that had recently been retrofitted with new heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) units. CO2 concentration, room and supply air temperature and relative humidity, and door opening were measured for four weeks in each classroom. Field inspections identified HVAC equipment, fan control, and/or filter maintenance problems in 51% of the studied classrooms. Across 94 classrooms with valid data, average CO2 concentrations measured during school hours had a mean of 895 ppm and a standard deviation (SD) of 263 ppm. Ventilation rates (VRs), estimated using the daily maximum 15-minute CO2 in each classroom, had a mean of 5.2 L/s-person and a SD of 2.0 L/s-person across 94 classrooms. Classrooms with economizers, with or without demand control ventilation (DCV), tended to have lower mean CO2. Improperly selected equipment, lack of commissioning, incorrect fan control settings and maintenance issues (heavily loaded filters) were all associated with underventilation in classrooms. Many classrooms in this sample were frequently too warm to support learning. There were 23 out of 103 classrooms that had indoor air temperature above 25.6 o C for more than 20% of the school hours. Better oversight on HVAC system installation and commissioning are needed to ensure adequate classroom ventilation. Periodic testing of ventilation systems and/or continuous real-time CO2 monitoring (either as stand-alone monitors or incorporated into thermostats) is recommended to detect and correct ventilation problems.