Policy and Complex Systems - Volume 3 Number 1 - Spring 2017
An awareness based approach to sustainability : Agent- Based Modeling for decision making in energy policies
Giovanna Sissa , A Paola Girdinio , A Pietro Terna B
The paper discusses the impact of social interaction on individual and collective behaviors and its effect on the consumption of energy . The underlying hypothesis is that ICT tools enable societal and psychological mechanisms leading to sustainable lifestyles . We envision tools supporting social norms , i . e . rules governing an individual ’ s behavior by social sanctions that encourage sustainable behavior on the part of user and consumers . We present SAM4SN ( Spread of Awareness Model for Social Norms ), an Agent-Based Model ( ABM ) to explore the role of awareness in the consumption of a resource . Agents represent households that use a resource – e . g . energy or water – whose consumption has to be reduced . Agents influence each other and such influence improves their awareness that , in turn , influences resource consumption . Social influence and the role of smart metering functions as awareness ' s catalyst are described . SAM4SN is an exploratory model to play and explore different situations , leading or not to a sustainable consumption of energy . In particular , the sustainability tipping point and its role in decision-making will be introduced .
Keywords : social norms , awareness spread , energy efficiency , environmental sustainability , behavioral change , social influence , tipping point
Introduction
The report “ Decoupling Natural
Resource Use and Environmental
Impacts from Economic Growth ” ( UNEP 2011 ) – a comprehensive document explaining on scientific grounds what needs to be done to make sustainable development possible – describes how the need to reduce energy consumption leads to maximize efficiency , but technology efficiency alone will not produce sustainability . There are risks that potential gains can be countered by rebound effects and only a combination of efficiency and sufficiency can be effective ( Boulanger , Couder , Marenne , Nemoz , Vanhaverbeke , Verbruggen , & Wallenborn , 2013 ; Hilty , Lohmann , & Huang , 2011 ; Sissa , 2010 ; Sissa , 2013 ). We can observe that the cheapest , cleanest form of energy
A
DITEN- Università degli Studi di Genova , Italy
B
Retired professor , Università degli Studi di Torino , Italy doi : 10.18278 / jpcs . 3.1.3
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