Situational factor affecting energy-saving behavior in direct approaches in Hanoi City. The role of socio-demographics

Recently, scholars worldwide have been focusing on conducting studies on energy-saving behavior to promote efficient usage and conservation of energy. However, in Vietnam and some other developing countries, the research on energy-saving behavior is still limited, especially for the residence and household sectors. This research involved the conducting of a survey on the factors that affect the energy-saving behavior of households in Hanoi city. With 698 randomly collected samples, this research aimed to investigate the mechanism of the direct impact of external factors, such as policy, energy cost, energy-saving products' quality, and social norms. The analysis was carried out using structural equation modeling (SEM); the present results showed that the quality of energy-efficient appliances and social norms affect energy-saving behavior positively. Meanwhile, energy cost and energy-related policies do not affect the energy-saving behavior directly but rather indirectly. Demographic factors, such as gender, income, educational level act as stimulant factors, promote the formation of energy-saving behavior. This research would help policy-makers in the field of energy get a more specific view on the effects of external factors on energy-saving behavior and thence establish more sustainable and environment-friendly energy-saving policies.