Engaging building users in energy reduction through behavior change poses three main challenges: (1) energy is an abstract concept that is difficult to see, (2) it is unclear whose behavior needs to change - decision makers, energy managers, or the general public, and (3) public engagement strategies in the workplace must go beyond simply providing information. Displaying energy use data for public buildings through programs like Display® can increase awareness but multiple other efforts are needed, like refurbishments, controls, and an energy manager, to significantly reduce consumption. Effective behavior change strategies require creative visualization tools and a balanced top-down and bottom-up approach.

1. Engaging building users in energy reduction: the challenge of behaviour changeDr Richard BullInstitute of Energy & Sustainable Development

2. De Monfort UniversityWorld-class university situated in Leicester, with more than 18,000 students and 3,000 staff, five faculties offering around 400 courses and an annual turnover in the region: £132.5 millionInstitute of Energy and Sustainable DevelopmentLeading research institute conducting innovative and groundbreaking research into renewable energy, sustainable development and public engagement. Also run 3 MSc courses.

3. Three challengesThe visibility of energyWhose behaviour are we trying to change?The challenge of public engagement in the workplace

4. The visibility of energy

5. By its nature, ‘energy’ is an abstract and invisible force that is conceptualised or commonly defined in a number of different ways, for example as a commodity, as a social necessity, as an ecological resource, or as a strategic material.**Burgess & Nye (2008), Re-materialising energy use through transparent monitoring systems, Energy Policy

7. (2)Whose behaviour are we trying to change?

8. Cyber DisplayEnergy Cities represents more than 1000 local authorities from 30 countries, mainly municipalitiesThe Display Campaign is a voluntary scheme municipalities can adopt to demonstrate a commitment to reducing energy consumption of public buildings.A key part of the rationale for developing the energy display label was to motivate decision makers towards a common approach for European certification for energy performance of non-residential buildings, and engage municipal energy managers and the general public around the subject of energy and buildings. As a project partner, DMU was responsible for evaluating the success of the campaign

9. Display communication activitiesEducation/Training programmesCommunication ActivitiesInternal CommunicationLocal Energy CYBER Display DaysSchools ProgrammeLocal Press Articles and Media Relations;Local Communication MaterialsStaff Training Workshops

10. Improving building performanceThe overall trend is of this set of buildingsmoving ‘Towards Class A.’ By this we mean there is, overall, a increase in higher rating certificates(A C) and a decrease in ratings G-D.

11. Findings from Display®Display® lead to demonstrable increases in building performance and energy awareness. But . . . There is no one single measure or ‘quick-fix’ for moving buildings ‘Towards Class A’. The importance and success of Display® is in recognizing that the poster is merely a beginning of the journey ‘Towards Class A’.Buildings in Display® that improve . . . Invest in multiple refurbishments especially lighting controls and boiler replacement and avoid using air conditioning; Invest in new types of building controls especially heating controls; Have a full time energy manager and voluntary environmental champion;Organized local media campaigns and used creative promotional materials;Attended local and national networking events such as 'national users club event'

12. A technical improvement is the result of someone’s behaviour being changed, be it the facilities manager, finance director, energy manager or mayor.

13. The challenge of public engagement in the workplace the aim? To understand the role of ICT in reducing energy consumption of a large scale public building through the design of an ICT interface connecting building users to their electricity consumption.DUALL

14. Beyond information provisionThere is a need for a different approach recognising the complexity of user perceptions and understandings (Niemeyer, Petts et al. 2005);

15. Combining a bottom-up and top-down approach in order to minimise mixed messages (Owens 2000);

16. The value of public engagement (Burgess and Clark 2009; Ockwell, Whitmarsh et al. 2009).

17. The importance of context.