Design for sustainable behaviour effect: Identifying behaviour changes pattern through eco feedback strategy

Abstract Research in the field of design for sustainable behavior (DfSB) has been conducted quite extensively, but studies that provide evidence of the effects of design strategies on measurable changes in consumer behavior are still scarce. Moreover, this study introduces a framework to comprehend the behaviour changes after interacting with DfSB. This research further investigates the relationship between behavioural changes and increased environmental awareness resulting from the implementation of one eco-design concept in a dual-tub washing machine, namely the addition of an eco-feedback component. Through a series of experiments, it was found that the difference in respondents’ educational backgrounds did not have a significant influence, but increased awareness showed a positive correlation with eco behavioural changes among the respondents. Additionally, behavioural changes were also identified to be influenced by other factors that are difficult to quantify, such as past habits and respondents’ perception of cleanliness. The results of this research are expected to contribute to the process of designing products that are more targeted and measurable in order to encourage consumer behaviour to be more environmentally friendly, especially in everyday household products.