Encouraging household energy conservation through transdisciplinary approaches in Ghana and South Africa: assumptions, challenges and guidelines

Figures & data

Table 1. Summary of TD project activities, expected outcomes and methods.

Activity and expected outcomes	Methods	Stakeholders (n)
Co-development of research problem for engendering a collective understanding of the sustainability challenge.	Personal meetings and workshops with stakeholders/local knowledge partners (local city/municipal officials of the Makana Municipality and ESKOM (South Africa) and Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, the Electricity Company of Ghana, households and civic organisations (Ghana).	Makhanda Community champions (8) Municipal officials (2) ESKOM representative (1) Kumasi Households & community champions (14) Local city officials (7) ECG representative (6) Civic organisations (2) Energy Commission (1)
Generating baseline data on household electricity use behaviour, monthly energy consumption and energy saving strategies.	Households surveys with participant households.	Makhanda Households(297) Kumasi Households (285)
Co-designing of energy-saving interventions (pamphlets, stickers, and discussions) based on baseline study and translation into local language. Implementation of interventions by households with assistance from community champions. Co-monitoring of energy consumption by participant households after the implementation of interventions and analysis. Re-modelling interventions with participant households and further implementations and analysis.	Workshops with participant householdsand community champions, face to face meetings with energy providers.	Makhanda: Communitychampions (8) Households (44) Kumasi Households (88)
Creating platforms (meetings/workshops) for stakeholders’ involvement from the project outset to highlight the value of participating in the project. Feedback of results to respective local partners (participant households, local city officials, civic organisations, and other interested local stakeholders) via workshops	Workshops	Makhanda Households (44)– Kumasi Households (60) Officials of city/municipal council (7) ECG representative (4) Civic organisation (1) Energy Commission (1)
Reflective sessions with households and champions on the research process i.e. experience versus intended outcomes. Records of participants’ perceptions on impact of research process and programme on their agency and energy-saving achievements.	Workshops	Makhanda Households (19) Community champions (8) Kumasi Households (88)
Evidence of sustained reduced energy consumption via reports.	Energy consumption monitoring among participant households via self-reporting	Makhanda Households (44) Kumasi Households (88)

Appendix 1. Categories of activity and relevant data collected.

Category of activity	Data collected
Feedback of results to respective local partners (participant households, local city officials, civic organisations and other interested local stakeholders) through workshops	Baseline data – reported electricity consumption behaviour, electricty consumption patterns and expenditures, and electricity-saving practices. Energy consumption patterns before and after implementation of co-designed electricity saving interventions.
Reflective sessions with participant households and community champions on the research process i.e., experience versus intended outcomes. Records of participant households' perceptions on impact of research process and programme on their agency and energy-saving achievements.	Participant households' perceptions of collective problem formulation, level of their involvement, general agreement on the sustainability challenge, benefits of collective action, ownership of the project, and openness and fairness of decision making and information sharing.
Evidence of sustained reduced energy consumption via reports.	Trend analysis of monthly electricity consumption before and after implementation of co-designed electricity saving interventions. Monthly financial savings on electricity.