Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on energy literacy and conservation behavior in academic buildings of Kuwait

Majdi M Alomari; Hania El-Kanj; Ayse Topal; Nafesah I Alshdaifat

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21474

Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on energy literacy and conservation behavior in academic buildings of Kuwait

Heliyon. 2023 Nov 4;9(11):e21474. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21474. eCollection 2023 Nov.

Authors

Majdi M Alomari¹, Hania El-Kanj¹, Ayse Topal², Nafesah I Alshdaifat³

Affiliations

¹ Electrical Engineering Department, Australian University (AU), Mishref, 40005, Kuwait.
² Business Department, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, Nigde, 51240, Turkey.
³ JoVision, Hamburg, 22083, Germany.

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on energy literacy and conservation behavior among occupant groups in academic buildings in Kuwait. It explores influential factors, focusing on the pandemic's effect on attitudes, intentions, and behaviors related to energy conservation. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Participants, including students, faculty, and staff, completed surveys, participated in questionnaires, focus groups, and took part in interviews. Statistical tests are used to validate the survey data, while thematic analysis is applied to the qualitative data. The findings of the research showed that COVID-19 had a significant impact on participants' attitudes, intentions, and behavior regarding energy literacy and conservation. Specifically, the student group experienced a significant increase in the relationship between their intentions and behavior, while the faculty group exhibited a strong correlation between intention and behavior. The study also found that education, awareness, personal motivation, values, religiosity, and culture were all crucial factors in promoting energy literacy and conservation behavior. The study recommends specific educational interventions, fostering a culture of conservation, providing access to information and resources, promoting community engagement, incorporating religiosity, and improving policies and infrastructure to enhance energy literacy in academic buildings. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of tailored educational interventions that consider the specific needs and challenges of different occupant groups and suggests incorporating religious perspectives to align with the cultural and religious context of the Kuwaiti population. The study's findings offer comprehensive insights into the impact of unforeseen events, such as pandemics, on energy literacy and conservation behavior. These insights have practical implications for policymaking and implementation. Future research could explore the effectiveness of various educational interventions and examine the role of social and cultural factors in shaping energy literacy and behavior.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; Energy conservation behavior; Energy literacy; Kuwaiti university occupants.