Demystifying the Impact of Energy and Water Consumption During and After Remote Work

Abstract

Consumption patterns have shifted significantly since the pandemic. Key literature sustains that residential electricity consumption increased by 16% during working hours, with an additional 3% rise in areas with more remote workers. This study examines the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on water and electricity consumption patterns among administrative workers. For this research individual interviews were conducted with a sample of 30 respondents aged 23 to 62, to gather in-depth insights. Additionally, we included a case study of a family-run business in Peru. While the pandemic initially led to significant resource savings during remote work, our findings suggest that there are no notable long-term changes in consumption patterns once workers returned to the office. Instead of the pandemic itself, the research indicates that the work environment and employees' identification with it are the primary factors influencing resource expenditure in offices. Furthermore, smaller companies exhibited more pronounced resource-saving behaviors compared to larger, internationally recognized firms. These insights challenge the prevailing assumptions about pandemic-related changes in consumption habits and underscore the importance of workplace dynamics in resource management.