scholarly journals Energy Poverty among College Students in Japan in a Survey of Students’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practices towards Energy Use

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8484
Author(s):  
Amin Nazarahari ◽  
Nader Ghotbi ◽  
Koji Tokimatsu
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Monthly Income ◽  
Energy Usage ◽  
Random Group ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Japanese Students ◽  
International University ◽  
Vulnerable Households

In order to investigate the problem of energy/fuel poverty in Japan, we examined the knowledge, attitude, and practices towards energy usage of a random group of 447 college students in an international university in Japan. The majority of the students were living independently in private or shared accommodations, depended on portable heating/cooling appliances, and were billed directly for their electricity usage. The responses of 205 Japanese and 236 non-Japanese students to a detailed survey about energy consumption for daily living and its cost were collected. The examined variables included students’ monthly income/allowance, energy bills, attributes of energy use including room temperature setting for cooling in summer and heating in winter, the students’ awareness of energy fees, and their attitude towards energy use vs. saving in energy costs. The results indicate that energy bills were perceived as too high by most non-Japanese students as compared to Japanese students, while for both Japanese and non-Japanese students there was a positive correlation between monthly income/allowance and energy bills. The findings suggest that energy poverty is common among college students living independently in Japan, such that, in future research, they may be included in the category of vulnerable households with respect to energy poverty.

scholarly journals Are Energy-Vulnerable Households More Prone to Informative, Market, and Behavioral Biases?

Societies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 126
Author(s):  
Christina Kaliampakou ◽  
Lefkothea Papada ◽  
Dimitris Damigos
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Stated Preference ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Household Decision ◽  
Behavioral Biases ◽  
Income Status ◽  
Vulnerable Households ◽  
Behavioral Barriers ◽  
Objective Indicators

The present paper focuses primarily on investigating whether energy-vulnerable households are more prone to informative, market, and behavioral biases. In this direction, a stated preference approach was used to elicit information about human behavior and cognitive barriers in the context of energy poverty based on both subjective and objective indicators. For the purposes of the survey, a questionnaire was developed that included around 40 questions about housing conditions and information, market, and behavioral barriers related to energy efficiency, energy vulnerability, etc., and specific survey hypotheses were tested employing non-parametric tests. The survey was carried out between November 2020 and January 2021 involving residents of Metsovo, a mountain settlement in Greece. In total, 303 participants took place in the survey through personal interviews, which were conducted remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic-related distancing measures, using a video platform. The analysis shows that households that face thermal discomfort or are in arrears on energy bills seem to be more prone to certain behavioral and other biases. This conclusion is not confirmed for households that face condensation, mold and damp problems or are classified as energy-poor under the “ten percent rule”. The main conclusion drawn is that the income status of the household plays a greater role compared to its classification as energy vulnerable. Nevertheless, the findings of the study need to be confirmed by future research, because the research specifically on how energy poverty affects people’s decision making is extremely limited. In any case, the results are worrisome and illustrate the need for more effective energy poverty policies that will take into account the effects of scarcity on household decision making.

scholarly journals Does Energy Poverty Affect Energy Efficiency Investment Decisions? First Evidence from a Stated Choice Experiment

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1698
Author(s):  
Dimitris Damigos ◽  
Christina Kaliampakou ◽  
Anastasios Balaskas ◽  
Lefkothea Papada
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Investment Decisions ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Information Campaigns ◽  
Effective Option ◽  
Vulnerable Households

Energy poverty is a multidimensional and continuously growing societal problem, with political roots. In pursuit of mitigating the problem, the European Commission has adopted a bundle of policies, such as consumer protection measures, short-term financial interventions, motivations for energy efficiency (e.g., energy retrofits and replacement of old household appliance) and information campaigns, among others. There is no doubt, however, that increasing the income of vulnerable households would be the most preferred and effective option. Focusing on energy efficiency, a measure typically incorporated in the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) of many Member States as a means to fight energy poverty, this paper aims to shed light on the need to gradually move towards more localized—not to say personalized—actions. In this direction, a labeled choice-based experiment is used, which involves a hypothetical selection between three alternative energy interventions, i.e., house retrofit, upgrading of heating system and upgrading of household electrical appliances. The research aims to integrate the preferences of households from the choice experiment with indicators of energy poverty and establish a connection between energy poverty and energy efficiency investment decisions. The results demonstrate that households’ preferences are affected by qualitative and quantitative aspects of energy vulnerability and sociodemographic characteristics. Furthermore, vulnerable households seem to be more prone to the so-called “discounting gap”, as previous studies also suggest. These findings are worrisome because, without tailor-made support, these households may never escape the vicious circle of energy poverty. To this end, the survey could provide useful information to policy-makers towards developing more robust policies of energy poverty alleviation.

scholarly journals Prediction of Fuel Poverty Potential Risk Index Using Six Regression Algorithms: A Case-Study of Chilean Social Dwellings

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2426
Author(s):  
David Bienvenido-Huertas ◽  
Jesús A. Pulido-Arcas ◽  
Carlos Rubio-Bellido ◽  
Alexis Pérez-Fargallo
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Potential Risk ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
Computing Time ◽  
Simulated Data ◽  
Real Data ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Regression Algorithms

In recent times, studies about the accuracy of algorithms to predict different aspects of energy use in the building sector have flourished, being energy poverty one of the issues that has received considerable critical attention. Previous studies in this field have characterized it using different indicators, but they have failed to develop instruments to predict the risk of low-income households falling into energy poverty. This research explores the way in which six regression algorithms can accurately forecast the risk of energy poverty by means of the fuel poverty potential risk index. Using data from the national survey of socioeconomic conditions of Chilean households and generating data for different typologies of social dwellings (e.g., form ratio or roof surface area), this study simulated 38,880 cases and compared the accuracy of six algorithms. Multilayer perceptron, M5P and support vector regression delivered the best accuracy, with correlation coefficients over 99.5%. In terms of computing time, M5P outperforms the rest. Although these results suggest that energy poverty can be accurately predicted using simulated data, it remains necessary to test the algorithms against real data. These results can be useful in devising policies to tackle energy poverty in advance.

scholarly journals Muscular Strength, Power, and Endurance Adaptations after Two Different University Fitness Classes

Sports ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Brittany S. Hollerbach ◽  
Sarah J. Cosgrove ◽  
Justin A. DeBlauw ◽  
Nattinee Jitnarin ◽  
Walker S. C. Poston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Muscular Strength ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
Bioelectrical Impedance ◽  
Impedance Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Muscle Strengthening ◽  
Maintain Body Weight

Physical activity (PA) classes help college students add weekly PA, which can help improve health and maintain body weight. Traditional weight training (TWT) can improve strength and aerobic capacity. High-intensity functional training such as CrossFit® (CF) provides time-efficient workouts with both muscle strengthening and aerobic exercises. Limited research has compared these classes for college students. We examined changes in muscular strength, power, and endurance as well as body composition. Participants were 85 healthy college students enrolled in TWT (n = 36, age 22.6 ± 4.1 years, 72.2% male) or CF (n = 49, age 21.8 ± 3.2 years, 55.1% male) classes meeting twice/wk for 8 weeks between October 2017 and May 2018. Baseline and posttest measurements included a vertical jump, grip strength, a 2 min push-up test, a 1 min squat test, height, weight, and a bioelectrical impedance analysis. Although no significant group × time interactions were found, there was a significant main effect of time for push-ups and squats (both p < 0.001). Participants enjoyed the classes and most planned to continue. Both classes improved muscular endurance although no significant differences were found between them. Activity classes provide college students with an option for increasing their weekly PA and help maintain body composition. Future research should examine the benefits from longer or more frequent classes.

scholarly journals Critical Determinants of Household Electricity Consumption in a Rapidly Growing City

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4441
Author(s):  
Sharif Shofirun Sharif Ali ◽  
Muhammad Rizal Razman ◽  
Azahan Awang ◽  
M. R. M. Asyraf ◽  
M. R. Ishak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Urban Ecosystem ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Monthly Income ◽  
Increase Energy Efficiency ◽  
Resource Sustainability ◽  
Technology Improvement

Despite growing urban electricity consumption, information on actual energy use in the household sector is still limited and causal factors leading to electricity consumption remain speculative due to urban expansion and its growing complexity, particularly in developing countries such as Malaysia. This study aims to examine the critical determinants of household electricity consumption by evaluating the patterns and flows of consumption and analysing relationships and their effects on electricity usage among 620 urban households in Seremban, Malaysia. Results suggest that the average urban household electricity consumption is 648.31 kWh/month; this value continues to grow with the increase in the household monthly income (r = 0.360; p < 0.01) and number of rooms (r = 0.360; p < 0.01) as quality of life improves. A large portion of electricity is allocated for kitchen/home consumption, followed by cooling and lighting. Multiple linear regressions revealed that married households with a high monthly income and living in spacious houses together with three to five people are important predictors of electricity consumption in Seremban. This study empirically identified that the number of rooms is the most critical factor of electricity consumption and strategies to increase energy efficiency, maintain resource sustainability and minimise greenhouse gas threat on the urban ecosystem are vital. Therefore, promoting low carbon initiatives for energy conservation and technology improvement and implementing policies in the domestic sector are essential to achieve the greatest potential energy consumption reduction in urban regions.

Reading in the age of digital distraction

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziming Liu
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Digital Content ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Common Phenomenon ◽  
Digital Environment ◽  
Digital Reading ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Screen Reading

PurposeDigital distraction is a common phenomenon in e-reading contexts, and it is worth exploring in depth from the perspectives of information (digital content), users (readers) and technology (digital reading medium). Since screen reading has close links with multitasking and potential distraction, any investigation of reading in the digital environment must factor in this reality. This paper aims to investigate the extent and effects of digital distraction while reading on screens. Special emphases go to exploring multitasking while reading.Design/methodology/approachSurvey and analysis methods are employed.FindingsThe extent of digital distraction among college students it found is alarming. All the top four sources of distraction are communication-based activities. Female students tend to concentrate more than males when they read on screens. An overwhelming majority of participants choose to read in print to reduce distractions and to concentrate effectively. Screen reading is inherently distracting, primarily due to multitasking. It appears that repeated multitasking during academic endeavors carries substantial costs.Originality/valueImplications of digital distraction are discussed, and directions of future research are suggested.

scholarly journals The Decline of Japanese International Students

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukiko Shimmi
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
College Students ◽  
International Students ◽  
The United States ◽  
Demographic Shift ◽  
Japanese Students ◽  
Economic Stagnation

The number of Japanese students who study in the United States has decreased recent years. Several structural issues that are influencing the current declines are explored: a demographic shift, an increased capacity at domestic universities, an economic stagnation, the season of job-hunting for Japanese college students, and academic requirements. Then, new trends and approaches for the increase are discussed.

scholarly journals Exploring the Neuropsychiatric Sequalae of Perceived COVID-19 Exposure in College Students: A Pilot Digital Phenotyping Study

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suraj K. Patel ◽  
John Torous
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Digital Phenotyping ◽  
Passive Data ◽  
Unexplained Symptoms ◽  
Passive Sensors ◽  
Headache Pain

The urgency to understand the long-term neuropsychiatric sequala of COVID-19, a part of the Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS), is expanding as millions of infected individuals experience new unexplained symptoms related to mood, anxiety, insomnia, headache, pain, and more. Much research on PACS involves cross sectional surveys which limits ability to understand the dynamic trajectory of this emerging phenomenon. In this secondary analysis, we analyzed data from a 4-week observational digital phenotyping study using the mindLAMP app for 695 college students with elevated stress who specified if they were exposed to COVID-19. Students also completed a biweekly survey of clinical assessments to obtain active data. Additionally, passive data streams like GPS, accelerometer, and screen state were extracted from phone sensors and through features the group built. Three hundred and eighty-second number participants successfully specified their COVID-19 exposure and completed the biweekly survey. From active smartphone data, we found significantly higher scores for the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for students reporting exposure to COVID-19 compared to those who were not (ps &lt; 0.05). Additionally, we found significantly decreased sleep duration as captured from the smartphone via passive data for the COVID-19 exposed group (p &lt; 0.05). No significant differences were detected for other surveys or passive sensors. Smartphones can capture both self-reported symptoms and behavioral changes related to PACS. Our results around changes in sleep highlight how digital phenotyping methods can be used in a scalable and accessible manner toward better capturing the evolving phenomena of PACS. The present study further provides a foundation for future research to implement improving digital phenotyping methods.

scholarly journals Influence of Demographic Variables on Suicidal Tendency among Arts and Science College Students

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anusuya ◽  
Dr. M. Senthil ◽  
Dr. S. Barani Daran
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Family Type ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Monthly Income ◽  
Suicidal Tendency ◽  
Science College ◽  
History Of

Introduction: Suicidal tendency is common among college students as a result of various factors like academic pressure, family problems, love failure, etc. It is presumed that there would be influence of demographic variables (i.e. age, gender, department, family type, family income and history of previous mental illness) on suicidal tendency among college students. Aim: The aim of this research study was to assess the influence of selected demographic variables (i.e. age, gender, department, family type, family income and history of previous mental illness) on suicide tendency among arts and science college students. Materials and Methods: The sample comprised of 84 respondents of arts and science students and Simple random sampling by lottery method was used. The following questionnaire was used to collect the data 1) Demographic variables: It includes respondents‟ age, gender, department, class, family income, type of family, residence area and history of mentally illness of the respondent. 2) Suicidal tendency scale. Results: 33.3% of the respondents were up to 18 years of age, 32.1% of the respondents were in the age group of 19 years, 20% of the respondents were in the age group of 20 years of age, 10.7% of the respondents were above 21 years of age, 2.4% of the respondents were in the age group of 22 years of age and 1.2% of the respondents were above 17 years of age. 56% of the respondents were males and 44% of the respondents were females. 50% of the respondents belong to sociology department and 50% of the respondents belong to psychology department. 72.2% of the respondents belong to nuclear family and 23.8% of the respondents belong to joint family. 53.3% of the respondents have monthly income above Rs. 5000-10000, 31% of the respondents have monthly income above Rs. below 5000 and 15.5% of the respondents have monthly income up to Rs. Above 10000.  97.6% of the respondents had no previous mental illness in the family and only 2.4 percent of the respondents had previous mental illness in the family. Conclusion: This research study found that there was a significant impact of age and family income with respect to suicidal tendency among the respondents.

scholarly journals University campuses can contribute to wildlife conservation in urbanizing regions: a case study from Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 16736-16741
Author(s):  
Iliyasu Simon ◽  
Jennifer Che ◽  
Lynne Baker
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Predictor Variable ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
Disturbed Areas ◽  
Cricetomys Gambianus

Globally, colleges and universities are increasingly mandating sustainability and environmental protection into their practices.  To date, such institutions have focused their efforts on recycling and energy-use reduction and less on the management and conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitats. However, in an increasingly urbanizing world, well-managed campuses can provide habitat and even refuge for wildlife species.  On the campus of a sustainability-minded university in Nigeria, we used camera traps to determine the presence of wildlife and used occupancy modeling to evaluate factors that influenced the detectability and habitat use of two mammals for which we had sufficient detections: White-tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda and Gambian Rat Cricetomys gambianus.  Our intent was to gather baseline data on campus wildlife to inform future research and make recommendations for maintaining wildlife populations.  We detected wildlife primarily within less-disturbed areas that contained a designated nature area, and the presence of a nature area was the key predictor variable influencing habitat use.  No measured variables influenced detectability.  This study supports other research that highlights the importance of undisturbed or minimally disturbed natural habitats on university campuses for wildlife, especially in increasingly built-up and developed regions.  We recommend that institutions of higher education devote greater resources to making campuses wildlife-friendly and increase opportunities for students to engage in campus-based wildlife research and conservation and other sustainability-related programs. 

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