Towards water efficiency

Empowering individuals, communities, and organisations to make informed choices on effective water consumption

Towards water efficiency

We aim to empower individuals, communities, and organisations to make informed choices about using water effectively by leveraging education, awareness campaigns, smart technology, and behavioural interventions.

Our research is based on multidisciplinary expertise, focused on developing innovative solutions to address the urgent global challenge of water sustainability. Here are some examples of the innovative technologies we are using to measure water use behaviour.

Aguardio shower sensor

Aguardio toilet leak sensor

Digital shower controller

Research partners

Dr Pablo Pereira-Doel is an expert on water literacy and sustainable water behaviour. He leads innovative research on using technology to help people change their behaviour.

Saving water via behaviour change

An agenda for research and action

Context

Water scarcity is an urgent crisis. England faces a daily deficit of 5bn litres of freshwater by 2055, and supply cuts may be needed. The Environment Agency’s ‘National Framework for Water Resources 2025’ aims to recover 60% of the deficit through demand management. Smart meters have been proposed as a key strategy but will not fully address the deficit. Further behavioural science is needed to cut domestic use.

Approach

The research team collaborated with 107 individuals from 60 stakeholder organisations, including industry and consumers, to identify key questions blocking progress on domestic water behaviour change. The findings revealed 24 key questions to be addressed, representing seven areas of uncertainty (click the image to enlarge).

Insights

To tackle these questions, the sector must work together with behavioural scientists to understand how and why people use water – and break down silos to share knowledge across the sector.

Behavioural scientists can guide on communicating insights to accelerate learning.

Our White Paper

Full Agenda

This research was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council through ESRC Impact Acceleration Account grant

Work with us

Authors

Surrey Water Efficiency Behaviour Change Lab

Benjamin Gardner, Institute for Sustainability, University of Surrey

Pablo Pereira Doel, Institute for Sustainability, University of Surrey

Collaborators

Ian Walker, Swansea University

James Daly, Bristol University

Julia Brown, University of Portsmouth

Sofie Voss, Institute for Sustainability, University of Surrey

The Surrey Water Efficiency Behaviour Change Lab combines Dr Pereira Doel’s expertise in technology-assisted behaviour change with Prof Gardner’s world-leading insights into the psychology of real-world habit change. To work with us, contact Prof Benjamin Gardner (benjamin.gardner@surrey.ac.uk).