Energy Management Information Systems: An Exploratory Study of Implementations using Adaptive Structuration Theory

This research is focusing on the implementation of an Information System, more specifically a building energy management system, within several organisations. Energy-related research shows that the most fundamental indicators: energy consumption, fossil fuel dependence, import dependency, CO2 emissions, and energy prices are moving in the wrong direction. The research will look at the implementation and subsequent use of information systems to manage energy components, monitor energy usage and implement potential energy efficiencies within organisations. The research is being undertaken using a multi methodological approach incorporating case study and grounded theory. Adaptive structuration theory will provide the conceptual model that will help to capture the longitudinal change process, and a modified model is proposed describing the theoretical framework that further investigates and explains the implementation process. This will be achieved using case studies from four organisations at different stages of system implementation. The researcher has confirmed access to these organisations and data collection commenced on October 1st 2006. The researcher is also conducting 1 hour interviews with approximately 20 organisations, covering both the public and private sectors, as the imperatives to adopt may be quite different across the sectors. There is currently no published research in the area of information system implementation which investigates an energy management system using adaptive structuration theory as the conceptual model. The research will give rise to an insight into, and analysis of, effective implementations of energy management systems in organisations. The researcher is undertaking a PhD, and this paper outlines the research in progress agenda for this project.