Goodhew, J; Goodhew, S; Auburn, T; Wilde, P D and Pahl, S (2009) A preliminary investigation of the potential for thermographic images to influence householders understanding of home energy consumption. In: Dainty, A R J (ed.) Proceedings of 25th Annual ARCOM Conference, 7-9 September 2009, Nottingham, UK.
Abstract
Thermographic imaging has been applied to the investigation of heat losses and other building related phenomena for a number of years. More recently, its use in the sustainability domain suggests a psychological effect; that householders, after viewing thermal images of their homes, are more likely to engage in energy conservation behaviour. In particular it is hypothesised that a thermal image will frame information in a personalised, visible and salient manner more likely to achieve behaviour change (Stern, 1992). The aim of this paper is to consider the potential for this use. 10 UK householders were shown thermographic images of their own homes; their reactions recorded and analysed. Results suggest that viewing the images may trigger a reasoning process leading to energy saving behaviours, but there are pitfalls. Data from 2 of these interviews are presented here as an illustration of this reasoning process and of the contrasting reactions to the energy saving potential inferable from the images.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | behaviour; energy; homes; infrared; thermography |
| Index terms: | reasoning, energy consumption, thermography, energy-saving, behaviour change, energy saving behaviour, investigation, energy conservation, interview |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, cognitive psychology, environmental behaviour, behavioral psychology, computer vision, energy systems |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Digital Applications, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here