Influence of Favorite Place in House—Outdoor or Indoor—On Energy Consumption and Happiness in Rural Thailand

Zhang Yuxue, Kayoko Kondo, Artit Chutchaipolrut, Sujitra Arampongpun and Ikuyo Kikusawa
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Zhang Yuxue: Department of Environmental Design, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, 4-9-1 Shiobaru, Minamiku, Fukuoka 815-8540, Japan
Kayoko Kondo: Department of Environmental Design, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, 4-9-1 Shiobaru, Minamiku, Fukuoka 815-8540, Japan
Artit Chutchaipolrut: Graduate School, College of Asian Scholars, 179/137 Prachasamosorn Rd. Nai-Muang, Muang, Khon Kaen 40000, Thailand
Sujitra Arampongpun: Students Affairs Office, College of Asian Scholars, 179/137 Prachasamosorn Rd. Nai-Muang, Muang, Khon Kaen 40000, Thailand
Ikuyo Kikusawa: Department of Environmental Design, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, 4-9-1 Shiobaru, Minamiku, Fukuoka 815-8540, Japan

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 8, 1-14

Abstract: In recent years, with the change in house styles in rural Thailand, the favorite place in the house and lifestyle of inhabitants has also altered. This causes an increase in energy use. Therefore, this research was conducted in order to clarify the influence on energy use of the house style, communication with the neighborhood, and happiness through the favorite place in the house and daily activities. The study identified that people who like to stay in the outside space, such as the open space beneath the house and the garden, showed higher happiness. Spending more time outside helped to communicate with the neighborhood and family, and also to use less the air conditioner and electric fan. Such a lifestyle contributes to the development of a low carbon society.

Keywords: favorite place in the house; happiness; lifestyle; energy consumption; rural Thailand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:8:p:1350-:d:106564

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