Principal Research Results

Support Tool for Ranking Energy-Saving Activities Considering Residents
Preferences
Background
In Japan, energy demand in the residential sector is increasing. There are several methods of reducing the energy demand byhousehold members, but energy-saving effects enabled and benefits lost by energy saving differ significantly among individual activities.
To promote effective energy saving, it is important to consider the people's preference and characteristic of the each activity.

Objectives
The purpose of this study is to develop the support tool for ranking energy-saving activities in residential houses that shows
selection-priority of the energy-saving activities based on input about people's preference and user's information such as the number ofpeople in the household.

Principal Results
1. Development of the support tool for ranking energy-saving activities
We categorized various energy-saving activities carried out in houses, and quantified their advantages and disadvantages.
Moreover, we created a model that helps residents select the energy-saving activities appropriate for their lifestyle through an analytic
hierarchy process ＊ 1 (Fig. 1). This model calculates the selection-priority of the energy-saving activities considering not only quantitative factors such as amount of the energy saved and cost saved, but also qualitative factors such as convenience and comfort of users.
2. Application of the tool on the web-base program
Based on the model, we developed “Piece Eco ＊ 2 ”, which is a web-base tool that can be easily used on personal computers(Fig. 2). The tool selects 10 energy-saving activities appropriate for each user's preference and information among 137 activities, andshows the expected amount of the energy saved and CO2 reduction.
Activities selected in many cases seem to contribute to energy-saving and CO2 reduction and can be accepted widely.

Future Developments
Contribute to effective energy-saving in the residential sector in Japan.
Main Researcher: Tsuyoshi Ueno, Ph. D.,
Research Scientist, Customer Systems Sector, System Engineering Research Laboratory
Reference
T. Ueno, et al, 2006, “An approach to reduce the standby power in residential buildings using analytic hierarchy process”, CRIEPI
Report R05010 (in Japanese)
T. Ueno, et al, 2007, “An approach for ranking energy-saving activities in residential buildings -characteristics of the model-”, CRIEPI
Report R06006 (in Japanese)
T. Ueno, et al, 2008, “Development of a support tool for ranking energy-saving activities considering residents preferences”, CRIEPI
Report R07009 (in Japanese)＊1：Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP): The methods for decision making process. It can be applied to solving the problem having qualitative
elements such as a decision- maker's judgements. it is a systematic method for comparing a list of targets, criteria.
＊ 2：PieceEco can be used in the website of CRIEPI (http://criepi.denken.or.jp/pieceeco)58

3. Energy Services for Customer

Input the user’s preference about..

Objective
What is the rational energy-saving activities?

Labor to do energysaving activities
Environmental
benefit

Comfort

INPUT

Criteria
Convenience

Energy cost,
Initial cost

Environmental
Benefit

Cost

〜〜〜〜

Input the user’s information
・Region user lives
・Number of people in the house
・Floor space of the houseetc..

Comfort〜〜〜〜〜〜〜

Database of energy-saving activities

Targets

Number of timesof carrying out
the activity

OUTPUT・・・・・・

Total 137 activities

Fig.1 Outline of the support tool for ranking energy-saving activities

Input the user’s preference

Input the user’s information

Output the rational energysaving activities for the user

Numberof timesofcarryingout theactivities

DetailEnergysaved

Cost saved

Reduction of CO2 emission

Fig.2 Example of display picture on the tool (in Japanese)

59

Replacing incandescentbulbs withfluorescent bulbs

Amount ofenergy saved

Unplugging the TV

Selection-priority

Unplugging theelectric pot

Output the rational energy-saving activities

Reducing the numberof opening thedoor of refrigerator

INPUT

Changing preset
temperatures of airconditioners

・Amount of energy saved
・Reduction of CO2 emission
・Number of times of carrying out the activity
etc3