Title: Efficiency of an ICT-based campus energy management system on educational performance: a perspective of a fuzzy DEA approach

Authors: Xuesong Zhai; Yumeng Zhu; Yan Li; Wenzhi Chen

Addresses: College of Education, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, 866 Yuhangtang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, China ' College of Education, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, 866 Yuhangtang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, China ' College of Education, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, 866 Yuhangtang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, China ' College of Education, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, 866 Yuhangtang Rd., Hangzhou, 310058, China

Abstract: The use of information and communication technology (ICT) to digitalise and visualise the campus energy management aids the ideology of green and sustainable campuses. However, the effects of ICT-based energy management systems on educational performance are less explored. Although data envelopment analysis (DEA) has been regarded as a validating efficiency evaluation approach, the data sources were constrained to the objective dataset. The subjective educational data are invalid to be employed in the DEA. This study applied fuzzy set theory to the DEA to evaluate the efficiency of an ICT-based campus energy management system on educational performance. The energy-management input data and educational performance output data were collected from 63 universities and colleges in China. The efficiency distinctions across samples may be theoretically explained by fuzzy DEA, emphasising the value of further investigation of an ICT-based energy management system on educational performance by varied school features.

Keywords: campus energy management; education performance; ICT in education; efficiency assessment; fuzzy set; DEA model; fuzzy DEA; efficiency evaluation; smart energy consumption monitoring and management; smart campus.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2021.131988

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2021 Vol.70 No.3/4, pp.111 - 129

Received: 27 Jan 2022
Received in revised form: 06 Apr 2022
Accepted: 11 May 2022
Published online: 06 Jul 2023 *

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