Sensor data to measure Hawthorne effects in cookstove evaluation

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Energy Policy
• Public Health

Background:

• Fuel-efficient cookstoves are promoted to reduce indoor air pollution and fuelwood consumption in developing regions.
• Understanding household adoption and usage patterns is crucial for effective implementation of clean cooking technologies.
• Previous studies often lack detailed, objective data on actual cooking behavior and the impact of monitoring on this behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a dataset on cooking time, fuelwood use, and air pollution from households using traditional and fuel-efficient stoves in rural Uganda.
• To analyze the influence of in-person data collection on household cooking patterns and stove utilization.
• To support research on the behavioral and environmental impacts of improved cookstove interventions.

Main Methods:

• Temperature sensors collected cooking time data every 30 minutes in 168 households over six months.
• Data included daily particulate matter (pollution) and fuelwood consumption.
• Analysis focused on comparing cooking patterns during periods with and without in-person measurement teams.

Main Results:

• Estimated cooking times were derived from temperature sensor data for both stone fires and Envirofit stoves.
• Daily fuelwood use and particulate matter levels were recorded.
• Preliminary analysis suggests potential changes in cooking behavior when households are aware of in-person monitoring.

Conclusions:

• The dataset offers valuable insights into real-world cookstove use and its associated environmental and behavioral factors.
• Findings highlight the importance of considering the Hawthorne effect in studies evaluating household technology adoption.
• Further research can utilize this data to refine models of cookstove impact and inform policy decisions.