Anonymous, "Since COVID-19 began, have you or others in your household been aware of changes in daily energy consumption that cannot be attributed to seasonal change, for example? (Q39 Sp2020)", contributed by Andrew Rosenthal, Briana Leone and Alison Kenner, The Energy Rights Project, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 17 August 2022, accessed 25 April 2024. https://energyrights.info/content/covid-19-began-have-you-or-others-your-household-been-aware-changes-daily-energy-consumption
Critical Commentary
The chart reflects responses to Question #39a from the Spring 2020 survey, which asked respondents who noticed increased consumption during COVID-19, “What are the sources of increased consumption?” The available options were “more lights are on”, “we are keeping the heat on a higher temperature”, “we are using air conditioning for longer periods of time”, “we are using more appliances to prepare food during the day”, “we are using more appliances to work/study from home”, “more TV watching”, “more video game playing”, “the use of other entertainment technologies”, “members of the household are sleeping less”, “medical devices are being used”, “we are using more water”, “we are using more electric-powered devices to work/study from home.”
Fifty-two people responded to this question, with most indicating multiple sources of increased consumption.
Ten respondents (18.9%) reported using more air conditioning for longer periods of time;
Thirty-seven respondents (71.7%) were using more appliances to prepare food during the day;
Thirty-six respondents (69.8%) were using more appliances to work/study from home;
Thirty-five respondents (67.9%) were watching more TV;
Twenty-eight respondents (54.7%) were using more water;
Thirty-one respondents (60%) were using more electric powered devices to work/study from home;
Twenty-eight respondents (52.8%) reported that more lights being left on;
Eight respondents (17%) were keeping the heat on a higher temperature;
Twenty-two respondents (41.5%) reported more video game playing;
Twenty-three respondents (45.3%) were using more entertainment technologies;
One respondents (3.7%) reported medical devices were being used;
Eleven respondents (22.6%) reported that members of the household were sleeping less.
The data was produced by the Shifting Energy Demands in COVID-19 Survey - Overview, which was administered to 86 people over a six week period in May-June 2020. Visit the Shifting Energy Demands in COVID-19 - Survey Results page to view more data from our survey. The project is approved by Drexel’s IRB.