Research reveals that childhood home temperature and community connectedness can influence how people in the U.S. set their thermostats, offering insights to promote energy conservation and address climate change. This study was conducted by Dritjon Gruda from the National University of Ireland Maynooth and Paul Hanges from the University of Maryland, published on July 3 in the open-access journal PLOS Climate.
Heating and cooling account for a significant portion of U.S. households’ electricity consumption, yet many homeowners do not adjust their thermostats for energy savings. Lowering residential energy usage, which makes up 21% of the country’s energy usage, presents an opportunity to reduce overall energy consumption and reliance on fossil fuels. However, there is a need to provide evidence to policymakers to encourage energy conservation practices at home.
To explore why individuals in the U.S. regulate their home temperatures, Gruda and Hanges surveyed 2,128 participants regarding the winter thermostat settings in their current and childhood homes. They also evaluated the emotional connection participants had to their current communities, referred to as “community fit.” The study controlled for variables such as age, gender, and income, making the participants representative of the U.S. population.
The findings indicated that the temperature in participants’ childhood homes could predict the temperature settings in their current homes. For example, individuals living in colder regions like New York tend to set higher thermostats if they grew up in warmer households.
Furthermore, the researchers observed that people who feel a strong sense of community belonging are more likely to adjust their home temperatures to align with others in their community. For instance, a resident of New York who feels connected to their community might keep their home cooler compared to someone less engaged with their surroundings.
This suggests that policymakers should consider tailoring energy conservation campaigns to resonate with the unique identity and values of different communities to promote energy-saving practices.
The researchers acknowledged that community ties may not directly translate to energy savings, especially in wealthier neighborhoods, and advocate for long-term studies to explore the impact of factors such as household income. In summary, the study suggests that “community fit influences how individuals set their thermostats in winter and impacts the amount of heating energy saved.”
