Determinants of Long-Term Water and Energy Conservation Behavior: An Integrated Review

Mathijs Ambaum (), Rense Corten, Mattijs Lambooij, Monique van der Aa, Frenk van Harreveld and Vincent Buskens
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Mathijs Ambaum: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Rense Corten: Department of Sociology/ICS, Utrecht University, Padualaan 14, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
Mattijs Lambooij: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Monique van der Aa: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Frenk van Harreveld: Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Vincent Buskens: Department of Sociology/ICS, Utrecht University, Padualaan 14, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: Over the last decades, drinking water and energy use have increased exponentially. To preserve ecosystems in the long term, a change in behavior is necessary on all levels of society including on the household level. This paper presents an integrated review of the determinants of long-term drinking water and energy conservation behavior of households. We identified forty-nine relevant studies discussing long-term conservation behavior in the context of drinking water and energy use. Long-term conservation behavior was measured as either persistent behavior, maintaining behavioral change, or intentions to maintain behavior, each with specific determinants. We found four key factors for long-term conservation behavior: consumption feedback, household characteristics, effort, and motives for conservation behavior. For future studies, we suggest follow-up questionnaires or interviews to measure the persistence of behavior and differentiate between curtailment and efficiency behavior. Worthwhile avenues for future research on long-term conservation behavior are household-tailored feedback mechanisms and the interaction between contextual factors and effort-based choices.

Keywords: water; energy; conservation behavior; review; long-term behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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