Energy conservation in a large mental hospital

Abstract

An attempt was made to reduce energy consumption in a large mental institution by the use of daily feedback. Consumption information was provided on large posters located at several strategic locations throughout the institution. Initially, posters contained daily consumption for the institution expressed in kilowatts. Next, daily energy costs were provided. Energy usage did not appear to be affected by either form of feedback. However, results of a questionnaire given to randomly selected employees following the experiment suggest that feedback was attended to by employees and that the different types of information had differential effects. A discussion of conditions that preclude conservation efforts is provided as well as evidence that indicates that different attitudes about conservation exist between different general classifications of employees.