Energy Efficiency in School Buildings: The Need for a Tailor-Made Business Model

Franco, D.; Macke, Janaína; Schepers, Marleen; Segers, Jean-Pierre; Maes, Marijke; Cruyplandt, Evelien

doi:10.1007/978-981-15-8783-2_7

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 13 publications

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“…Education buildings have the advantage that they generally have one owner and deal with a large volume of users. Leal Filho et al (2019) summarised different approaches to EE used by HEIs, including pooling buildings to start a deep building renovation, combined with projects with a shorter payback time (Franco et al, 2019(Franco et al, , 2020. Another critical topic is engaging with students, the next generation of leaders, whereby co-creation is both desirable and achievable in terms of building design and use (Franco et al, 2020).…”

Section: Energy Efficiency (Ee)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Student energy-saving in higher education tackling the challenge of decarbonisation

Franco

Macke

Cotton

et al. 2022

IJSHE

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Purpose This study aims to explore students’ sustainability attitudes and behavioural intentions and their relation to energy use, to promote energy saving and decarbonisation in higher education settings. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a validated energy literacy survey to assess undergraduate students’ attitudes and behavioural intentions towards energy saving in two countries (Brazil and Belgium). The questionnaire, administered online, comprised 23 Likert scale questions and three questions eliciting socio-demographic information. Results were analysed using a linear regression model and compared with previous research using the same energy literacy instrument. Findings The research identified three dimensions of sustainable attitudes: citizens’ role, scientists’ role and government’s role, explaining 65.5% of respondents’ energy-related attitudes. Three dimensions of sustainable behaviours were identified, explaining 64.5% of energy-related behavioural intentions: consumption of eco-friendly products, financially driven behaviours and household energy saving. The linear regression model identified scientists’ role, consumption of eco-friendly products and financially driven behaviour as the key predictors of student energy use. Differences between the two contexts also emerged. Research limitations/implications Individual action to improve energy saving is necessary, but not sufficient for decarbonisation. However, student attitudes and behavioural intentions towards energy are an important element of campus decarbonisation: these “micro” experiments can become a “network” searching for synergies at the campus level (in collaboration with the neighbourhood) and act as a catalyst towards a more profound carbon-free society. Limitations of the research include the use of a survey to ascertain estimates of energy use; however, the study offers a model for further research and a mode of analysis that would be useful to other researchers. Practical implications This research enables universities to better understand the drivers and barriers to student energy-saving activities and thereby promote decarbonisation on campus. This is a crucial underpinning in the creation of sustainable universities, linking education and campus developments. This survey was one of the catalysts to set up a total new maintenance energy performance contract (MEPC) at one of the authors’ institutions, where energy efficiency was realised alongside other sustainability aspects, such as water saving, circular renovation and waste reduction. Social implications This research illustrates the challenges and opportunities of working with key stakeholders in university settings for university-based decarbonisation efforts. Intensive involvement of students and teachers in the new MEPC offers an example of co-creation with building “users” – which may have implications for other university building developments. Increasingly, universities need to consider the need for a new business model in which shared and multiple value creation is a key feature. Treating societal challenges as business opportunities is an important new dimension of corporate strategy and a powerful path to social progress, which higher education institutions should not overlook. Originality/value Student attitudes and behavioural intentions towards energy are an important element of campus decarbonisation and can act as a catalyst towards a carbon-free society. Although energy literacy research has been undertaken in the USA and UK, this research is the first of its kind for Belgium and Brazil, and the mode of analysis – using a linear regression model – differs from the earlier work, offering a novel methodological approach.

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Section: Energy Efficiency (Ee)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Student energy-saving in higher education tackling the challenge of decarbonisation

Franco

Macke

Cotton

et al. 2022

IJSHE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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A Holistic Model for Measuring Sustainable Performance Generated by Innovative Projects: The ESCO Energy Transition Case

Segers,

Franco,

Van Caillie

et al. 2024

European Perspectives on Innovation Management

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Energy Consumption in Higher Education Institutions: A Bibliometric Analysis Focused on Scientific Trends

Laporte,

Cansino

2024

Buildings

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While universities are expected to exemplify sustainable practices, they often encounter high energy demands. This dichotomy highlights the necessity for research into their energy consumption. Through a Systematic Literature Review, we examined international research trends in this field and explored factors influencing energy consumption. The importance of this article stems from its novel approach to energy consumption in universities, addressed from a global and comprehensive perspective, offering generalizable insights. Additionally, it pioneers in the use of a market concentration indicator (Herfindahl–Hirschman index) to measure the level of diversity in various bibliometric aspects. The extended perspective of our approach helps to close knowledge gaps about scientific trends and common energy consumption factors. Our results show that this topic has been investigated with limited involvement of social sciences. Building function, research intensity, and disciplinary orientation are distinctive factors in energy consumption in this field. Most influential authors, countries, and journals in this area were identified. This analysis contributes academically, by mapping research trends and providing guidance for future studies; practically, by offering insights for educational administrators on common factors affecting energy consumption; and in terms of policy, by advocating for the promotion of social sciences-based investigations on the topic.

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Energy Efficiency in School Buildings: The Need for a Tailor-Made Business Model

Cited by 3 publications

References 13 publications

Student energy-saving in higher education tackling the challenge of decarbonisation

Student energy-saving in higher education tackling the challenge of decarbonisation

A Holistic Model for Measuring Sustainable Performance Generated by Innovative Projects: The ESCO Energy Transition Case

Energy Consumption in Higher Education Institutions: A Bibliometric Analysis Focused on Scientific Trends

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