Living Smart Homes

Evonne Miller, Laurie Buys and Lorraine Bell
Additional contact information
Evonne Miller: Evonne Miller is a senior lecturer in the School of Design at Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Email: e.miller@qut.edu.au
Laurie Buys: Laurie Buys is a professor in the School of Design at Queensland University of Technology. Email: l.buys@qut.edu.au
Lorraine Bell: Lorraine Bell is a researcher in the School of Design, at Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Email: l.bell@qut.edu.au

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 2009, vol. 3, issue 2, 159-170

Abstract: This article documents the rationale and experience of a pilot Australian sustainability education programme, ‘Living Smart Homes’ (LSH) based on a community-based social marketing model. Inspired by the Australian ‘Land for Wildlife’ scheme, LSH is designed to engage homeowners with sustainable practices through face-to-face workshops, an interactive website with action-learning modules and a recognition scheme, a sign displayed in front of participants’ homes—to which additions were made as they completed modules on energy, water, waste and transport. Participants were asked to change household behaviours and to discuss the changes and the barriers to participation in the programme and to making the behavioural changes. More than 120 people participated in the programme. This article documents feedback from two surveys and four focus groups. Participants enjoyed and learnt from LSH, praising the household sign as a tangible symbol of their commitment to sustainability and a talking point with visitors. Their evaluation of the LSH programme, website and workshops, as well as their identification of barriers and recommendations for improvement and expansion of the programme, are discussed.

Date: 2009
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:jousus:v:3:y:2009:i:2:p:159-170

DOI: 10.1177/097340820900300211

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