Exploring he Impact of Sustainable Smart City Technologies on Energy Consumption Behaviour at the Household Level: A Multi-level Perspective

Abstract

Households contribute 20–40% of carbon emissions in urban areas globally, making them pivotal to achieving urban sustainability. Subsequently, sustainable urban concerns have driven decarbonisation agendas and the conceptualisation of technocratic Smart Cities, galvanising the development of Sustainable Smart Cities (SSC). However, transitioning from Smart Cities to SSC requires households optimally engaging with smart technologies—a notable gap in SSC studies. Therefore, grounded in the Multi-level Perspective (MLP) theory, this study explores how household engagement with smart technologies impacts low-carbon behaviours and influences broader systemic sustainability transitions.
A sequential-transformative mixed-method approach integrates literature reviews, surveys, and household interviews. To identify key factors influencing smart technology engagement, the study developed the Household Smart Technology Engagement Model (HSTEM) by integrating the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Norm Activation Model (NAM), and Motivation-Opportunities-Ability (MOA) framework. HSTEM was validated through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) using data from 59 surveyed households in Newcastle upon Tyne. Further, in-depth interviews with 11 households provided qualitative insights into grassroots-level engagement.
Findings reveal that smart technology use enhances skills and knowledge, promoting low-carbon behaviours. The study then proposes the Sustainable Household-archetype Interaction Framework for Transition (SHIFT), classifying households into three archetypes: "Progressive Loopers," "Static Savers," and "Sceptical Retainers." SHIFT illustrates each archetype's unique trajectory toward sustainability transitions, demonstrating that a holistic urban sustainability transition requires co-evolution of these archetypes.
This work addresses the gap in understanding how household engagement with smart technologies influences broader urban sustainability transitions. SHIFT synthesises targeted interventions for policymakers and stakeholders by addressing economic, social, technical, policy, and environmental dimensions. By highlighting how aggregated household actions contribute to systemic urban shifts, this study provides a bottom-up pathway for Smart Cities to transition towards SSCs, aligning household behaviours with city-wide sustainability goals.

Date of Award	30 Apr 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Northumbria University
Supervisor	Zahirah Mokhtar Azizi (Supervisor) & Niraj Thurairajah (Supervisor)