Learning and Information Society

Today’s cities are increasingly converging into networked physical spaces experienced by the ‘shared culture’ of the communities. Addressing social and environmental problems through ‘smart,’ ’technological and social innovations’ takes a pivotal role in creating such a society. Among technological innovations, network systems and smart phones emerge as foremost platforms that enable citizens to reinvent cities in accordance with their shared values regarding social, economic and environmental problems in cities. It is generally agreed that one of the most significant problems of many cities, especially megacities, is overdose energy consumption. If innovative ways are not found to create energy-efficient lifestyles, these cities will continue to be resource hungry. Therefore, this paper focuses on ‘individual to community feedback loops’ and in this context, how individuals learn to reduce their energy consumption towards an energy efficient lifestyle with technological innovation tools, in dwelling domain. In this framework, the research is an attempt to propose an operational modeling of individual to community learning feedback mechanism for reduced energy use through a web based platform (CODALoop) which is compatible with smartphones. The platform consists of three main functionalities: individual energy use calculation, a learning mechanism (forum and behavioral questionnaire) and a GIS based mapping tool. Additionally, the neighborhoods in Kadıköy District of Istanbul Metropolitan Area in Turkey provide the test-beds for the platform. Accordingly, a small volunteer group from neighborhoods of Kadıköy is organized for the initial test of the platform, and volunteers have entered their monthly individual energy consumption data and behavioural questionnaire data in dwelling domain through the platform. Then, these two types of data (energy use and behavioral questionnaire data) extracted the platform to analyzing the behavioral patterns of different user groups and designing the user feedback strategy. In the final part of this paper, initial results of the energy use and behavioral questionnaire data are summarized. Preliminary data results regarding with the dwelling energy consumption reveal that most of the energy is spent on heating and cooling in the dwelling units. This result is followed by electrical household appliances and lighting. When the behavioral patterns regarding energy consumption are examined through the questionnaire, it is found out that in reducing individual energy consumption in a dwelling, the users are more significantly influenced by attitudes and self-efficacy dimensions defined in the cognitive model rather than subjective norms dimension.
Since this paper is part of an ongoing research project, future steps are also organized through a comprehensive methodology framework on behavioral change through the design, implementation and assessment of learning feedback loops towards becoming a 'smart citizen and society'.
Acknowledgement: This paper is part of a EU-ERANET Co-fund (Smart City) consortium project titled: Community Data-Loops for energy-efficient urban lifestyles (CODALoop) and supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), 116K011.