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Electricity savings from energy-efficient appliances (EEAs) may have a significant impact on reducing global warming. There are several barriers confronted by EEAs, which have lowered their acceptance rate. The current study aims to identify and highlight key barriers to strengthening domestic sector adoption of EEAs in developing countries.

In the current study, 13 barriers were discovered by an in-depth literature review and the judgement of experts as well. Further, integrated “interpretive structural modeling” (ISM) and “decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory” (DEMATEL) approaches are used to evaluate barriers. The ISM technique is implemented to categorize barriers into distinct hierarchy levels and “cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification” (MICMAC) analysis to divide barriers among four clusters “independent, linkage, dependent and autonomous.” Moreover, the DEMATEL methodology is applied to classify the barriers among cause and effect clusters.

The integrated ISM and DEMATEL approach suggests that the topmost influencing barriers to the acceptance of EEAs are the lack of Government policies and initiatives, lack of attractive loan financing and subsidized energy prices.

This study would help researchers, regulators, producers, policymakers and consumers to comprehend the need for additional developments and understand that the adoption of EEAs is a current need. Overall, the results of this study expedite stakeholders with the key barriers that may assist to enhance the acceptance of EEAs within the domestic sector.

An extensive literature survey showed a dearth of studies for the identification, modeling and analysis of barriers collectively. Therefore, the current work used the ISM and DEMATEL approaches to fill the gap and to provide more comprehensive knowledge on barriers related to the acceptance of EEA.

This study aims to examine the antecedents of purchase intention toward energy efficient air conditioners by incorporating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) with two additional constructs, i.e. environmental concern and personal norms. TPB is one of the most widely used theoretical framework to study consumer behavior.

The study applied a quantitative technique using a survey method by distributing self-administered questionnaires among the Indian households who have purchased energy efficient air conditioners in the past six months or had enquired to do so. The study collected data from three select regions: Delhi and NCR, Punjab and Tri-city. The collected data of 424 respondents have been analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.

The study posits that normative factors such as subjective norms and personal norms have a relatively higher influence on purchase intention. Despite the significant existence of environmental concern, the study did not find environmental concern directly influencing purchase intention.

The sample size of the study is too small and pertains to specific regions. Thus, it could hinder the generalizability of the results. Advertisement appeals should be related with enhancement of self-esteem in terms of making responsible and valuable contribution to environment protection through the purchase of energy efficient air conditioner.

There are a few studies in the Indian context studying consumer’s purchase intention toward energy efficient air conditioners to which this study adds. The study provides an important contribution to marketers in developing strategies for increasing purchase intention toward energy efficient air conditioners in view of their stage in the product life cycle, diffusion of product and influence of normative factors.

Given the rapid increase in energy consumption in the residential sector in Jordan recently, the question of how to promote energy-saving behavior in Jordanian households is an emerging topic that is receiving increasing attention from scholars and academics. Generally, there is an unresolved paradox in the literature concerning electricity-saving behaviors. On one hand, numerous studies highlight energy-saving behaviors. On the other hand, recent research indicates the presence of significant untapped potential in electricity-saving behaviors. Therefore, it is useful to revisit the construct of these behaviors qualitatively to expand understanding. The study aimed to provide a better understanding of electricity energy-saving behaviors in terms of its motivations, barriers and support mechanisms from household heads' or household members' perspectives

Qualitative study in a sample of households in north Jordan was conducted in the Irbid province using grounded theory methodology. The analysis of qualitative data involved coding, followed by the integration of codes into more comprehensive categories and themes and interpreting the findings.

The results identify the motivations for households to save energy, the main barriers to indulging in electricity energy-saving behaviors, and the main support mechanisms and perceived support of electricity energy-saving behaviors

The findings bear significant implications for targeted interventions in the study area, improving motivations and addressing local barriers and can inform future policy issues by tailoring initiatives to the specific context.

This study is distinguished by being the first study that specializes in electricity energy-saving behavior of households in Jordan, using new methodology and techniques (qualitative survey).

Green building (GB) is an important aspect of sustainable development that advocates for practices that enhance the health and well-being of the occupants and communities with minimal impact on the environment. The adoption of the GB concept is low in most developing countries. This study aimed at assessing the extent of the adoption of GB concepts in Kakamega municipality as a case study. The study sampled 64 respondents which consisted of 15 professionals in the building industry and 49 commercial and residential buildings within the municipality. The results indicated that at least 80% of the professionals were aware of GB concepts of water efficiency, energy efficiency, sustainable materials, sustainable site practices, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Water efficiency practices that were widely adopted in commercial and residential buildings were rainwater harvesting and the use of efficient plumbing fixtures. The energy-saving measures adopted were switching off appliances when not in use, use of energy-saving bulbs, and solar energy. The majority of the respondents felt that the indoor air quality was fair. Resource reuse was not widely adopted which could be attributed to a lack of policy or legislation. Low impact development (LID) design of vegetated storm conveyance and rain gardens (bioretention and porous/permeable pavements) was adopted in 42.9% of the buildings. Research into the use of sustainable materials is recommended for wider application as a GB concept. The study recommends the promotion of GB through incentives to enable wider adoption among the owners and developers. Furthermore, GB legislation and certification programs need to be adopted in Kenya. This study was largely based on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria and thus further studies are required on other assessment tools and methods.

Understanding electricity use behaviour is considered one of the strategies to achieve sustained electricity management in buildings. The lack of understanding of occupants’ electricity use behaviour has been found to cause various environmental and ecological issues. This paper aims to investigate the factors influencing occupants’ inefficient use of electricity in buildings becomes a vital area of study to achieve maximum benefit in the area of electricity management.

The study adopted a quantitative survey and questionnaire as instruments for gathering relevant information from end-users in the study area, and the data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

The major factors influencing the electricity use behaviour of students in the study area were attributed to their level of awareness, personal beliefs and attitude towards electricity, managerial influences and economic factors.

The threats to the environment and ecology necessitate immediate attention to the elements that impact students’ electricity use habits. This research explains the key elements that might impact students’ electricity consumption habits in buildings. Understanding these key characteristics will provide policymakers with vital knowledge of its prevalence.

The article aims to identify the association between each smart home service category's benefits and barriers to their adoption. The results seek to identify efficient approaches that motivate users to adopt smart homes services and support suppliers to establish strategies to expand and optimize smart home technologies.

The research used the chi-square test of independence to reveal the association between the benefits and barriers perceived by the users during smart home services implementation. Furthermore, the statistical analysis using reliable evidence based on 122 articles reported in the literature provides valuable knowledge for smart home implementation.

The results reveal which barriers and benefits in the smart home are essential for implementing each type of service. Therefore, the association between barriers and benefits with smart home services implementation can support the dissemination of smart home technologies.

The article provides evidence to develop strategies for implementing smart home services, supporting companies with guidelines to be more assertive in disseminating smart homes technologies.

Using the literature as a data source and raising the associations through the chi-square test of independence, the methodology provides a high level of generalization and strong evidence regarding the association of smart home benefits or barriers associated with every smart home service.

The issue of energy efficiency is becoming increasingly prevalent globally due to factors such as the expansion of the population, economic growth and excessive consumption that is not sustainable in the long run. Additionally, healthcare facilities and hospitals are facing challenges as their operational costs continue to rise. The research aim is to develop strategic frameworks for managing green hospitals, towards energy efficiency and corporate governance in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

This research employs a qualitative case study approach, with a sample of ten hospitals examined through interviews with senior management, executives and healthcare facilities managers. Relevant data was also collected from literature and analysed through critical appraisal and content analysis. The research methodology is based on the use of grounded theory research methodologies to build theories from case studies.

The research developed three integrated conceptual strategic frameworks for managing hospitals and healthcare facilities towards energy efficiency, green hospital initiatives and corporate governance. The research also outlined the concepts of green hospitals and energy efficiency management systems and best practices based on the conclusions drawn from the investigated case studies.

The study is limited to the initiatives and experiences of the healthcare facilities studied in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The research findings, conclusions, recommendations and proposed frameworks and concepts contribute significantly to the existing body of knowledge. This research also provides recommendations for hospital managers and policymakers on how to effectively implement and manage energy efficiency initiatives in healthcare facilities.

The escalating levels of greenhouse gas emissions have become a growing global concern, with household energy consumption emerging as a significant contributor. To develop effective public policies, it is crucial to understand the energy-saving behavior of households. This study delves into the determinants of energy-saving practices in a developing country.

The authors chose a multivariate probit model, as it allowed to look after possible correlations among seven energy-saving practices within households.

The findings underscore the significant influence of sociodemographic variables, such as gender, civil status, income and education, on energy-saving practices. Furthermore, the authors discovered that households where the head actively volunteers in social organizations are more likely to adopt energy-saving behaviors. Additionally, internet access positively contributes to pro-environmental behavior. This research reveals that certain energy-saving practices are interconnected, acting as complements or substitutes.

Recommendations for public policy include prioritizing education in rural areas to boost energy-saving practices, improving internet access in nonurban regions and promoting citizen involvement in social organizations to enhance environmental awareness and encourage energy-saving behavior. The authors contribute to literature evidencing that certain energy-saving practices are not independent of each other, they are rather complementary and, in some cases, substitutes.

Recommendations for public policy include prioritizing education in rural areas to boost energy-saving practices, improving Internet access in nonurban regions and promoting citizen involvement in social organizations to enhance environmental awareness and encourage energy-saving behavior.

Previous studies have overlooked these interdependencies, highlighting the necessity of a system of equations to yield more efficient estimates by considering correlations between error terms.

Commercial buildings, which include office buildings, are one of the three major energy-consuming sectors, alongside industrial and transportation sectors. The vast increase in the number of buildings is a positive sign of the rapid development of Malaysia. However, most Malaysian government office buildings tend to consume energy inefficiently due to lack of energy optimization. Most of the previous studies focused on the performance of green buildings in fulfilling the green development guidelines. As such, it is essential to study the energy performance of existing government office buildings that were constructed before most energy-efficient standards were implemented to mitigate energy wastage due to the lack of energy optimization. This study aims to analyse the energy performance of existing non-green Malaysian government office buildings and the factors that influence building energy consumption, as well as to evaluate the efficacy of the existing energy conservation measures.

This study was conducted by a literature review and case study. The chosen buildings are six government office building blocks located in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. In this study, a literature review has been conducted on the common factors affecting energy consumption in office buildings. The energy consumption data of the buildings were collected to calculate the building energy intensity (BEI). The BEI was compared to the MS1525:2019 and GBI benchmarks to evaluate energy performance. SketchUp software was utilized to illustrate the solar radiation and sun path diagram of the case study buildings. Finally, recommendations were derived for retrofit strategies based on non-design factors and passive design factors.

In typical government office buildings, the air-conditioning system consumed the most energy at 65.5%, followed by lighting system at 22.6%, and the remaining 11.9% was contributed by office appliances. The energy performance of the case study buildings is considered as satisfactory as the BEI did not exceed the MS1525:2019 benchmark of 200 kWh/m2/year. The E Block recorded the highest BEI of 183.12 kWh/m2/year in 2020 due to its north-east orientation which is exposed to the most solar radiation. Besides, E Block consists of rooms that can accommodate large number of occupants. As such, non-design factors which include higher occupancy rate and higher cooling demand due to high outdoor temperature leads to higher energy consumption. By considering passive design features such as building orientation and building envelope thermal properties, energy consumption can be reduced significantly.

This study provided a comprehensive insight into the energy performance of Malaysian government office buildings, which were constructed before the energy-efficient standards being introduced. By calculating the BEI of six government office buildings, it is found that the energy performance of the case study buildings fulfils the MS1525 benchmark, and that all their BEIs are below 200 kWh/m2/year. Malaysia's hot and humid climate significantly affects a building's cooling load, and it is found the air-conditioning system is the major energy consumer of Malaysian government office buildings. This study discusses the efficacy of the energy-saving measures implemented in the case study buildings to optimize energy consumption. Recommendations were derived based on the non-design factors and passive design factors that affected the energy consumption of the case study building. It is envisioned that this study can provide practical strategies for retrofit interventions to reduce energy consumption in Malaysian office buildings as well as for office buildings that are in a similar climate.

This study aims to examine the impact of socioeconomic factors on electricity usage and assess the feasibility of implementing a mini-grid system in Kasangazi, Malawi. The primary aim is to understand the community’s current and potential utilisation of electrical equipment.

A mixed-methods approach was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Information was gathered through structured questionnaires, and energy audits were conducted among 87 randomly selected households from 28 Kasangazi communities. Data analysis relied on descriptive statistics using IBM SPSS version 28.

The study indicates that every household in Kasangazi uses non-renewable energy sources: 60 households use disposable batteries for lighting, 20 for radios and all use firewood, freely sourced from local forests, for cooking and heating water. The study shows that firewood is the community’s preferred energy source, illustrating the challenges faced in the fight against deforestation. Most household income comes from farming, with smaller contributions from businesses, employment and family remittances. Access to higher education is scarce, with only one out of 349 family members receiving tertiary education. Despite the constraints of low education levels and income, there is a demand for larger electrical appliances such as stoves and refrigerators. This underscores the need for mini-grid solutions, even in less technologically advanced, agriculture-dependent communities.

This study underscores that in Sub-Saharan Africa, factors like household size, income and education levels do not significantly influence the electricity demand but should be taken as part of the fundamental human rights. Rural populations express a desire for electricity due to the convenience it offers, particularly for appliances like refrigerators and stoves. Mini-grids emerge as a viable alternative in regions where grid electricity provision is challenging. It is concluded from this paper that the issue of using renewable energy should not only be taken for environmental preservation but also to promote energy access, augmenting efforts in supplying electricity to the remotest parts of the country.