Modelling of driving factors for energy efficiency in buildings using Best Worst Method
Syed Shuibul Qarnain, S. Muthuvel, S. Bathrinath
Abstract
Rising cost of electricity tariff and climate change in urban habitat is a cause of concern globally. Energy has become a necessity of life for majority of the people in daily routine. A definite part of the household earnings is spent on energy needs like utility bills or as fuel for cooking. In middle-class residential households the use of energy efficiently will lead to conservation of energy and increase in financial gains. To make a residential home energy efficient the factors that leverage the cause of “Energy Efficiency” should be known. This research analyses the factors through a survey of 125 residential homes in a city neighbourhood of southern India. MCDM based Best Worst Method (BWM) is used for analysis of survey results. The results show that the five main factors that act as key drivers of energy efficiency in homes are: Motivation, Education and awareness, coercive factors, Occupant Behavioural and energy saving equipment in homes. Among the 15 subfactors, the top three ranking factors to save energy are: financial motivation, psychological behaviour and inspiration to save energy in homes. The result of this research work emphasizes the high weightage factors are responsible to drive energy efficiency in residential buildings. The practical applications of this research are also discussed.