Non-Energy Benefits As a Market Transformation Driver

Jonathon McHugh, Lisa Heschong, and Nehemiah Stone, Heschong Mahone Group
Abby Vogen, Energy Center of Wisconsin
Daryl Mills, California Energy Commission
Cosimina Panetti, Building Codes Assistance Project

Keywords

Abstract

Energy efficiency is often insufficient as a driver for changes in the marketplace. During periods of high energy prices, committed regulation, or environmental fervor, it has momentary successes, but when one of these market influences is withdrawn, interest can quickly evaporate. Linking energy efficiency with non-energy benefits, and linking energy programs with non-energy programs, can create a more powerful and sustained thrust for
market penetration. This is how most businesses in other market sectors market their products: stressing positive associations, multiple benefits, hot-button issues, and alliances with other successful products.

Non-energy benefits can create a much vaster market penetration than selling on energy benefits alone. Alliances with non-energy programs can create momentum that carries on even if energy efficiency momentarily loses its luster in the market.

However, multi-dimensional programs also have structural challenges to overcome. Regulatory requirements and agency budgetary constraints tend to require programs that can be strictly justified by energy savings. This makes it difficult to craft programs focused on non-energy benefits or that establish alliances with non-energy programs.

This roundtable focuses on programs designed around non-energy benefits, and discusses their successes and challenges in crafting a new approach to marketing energy efficiency. These programs focused on non-energy benefits: enhanced human comfort, reduced liability, increased occupant performance, and productivity. They have also formed alliances with other non-energy programs, such as water conservation, waste reduction, lowincome housing, professional certification, that reinforce linkages with other benefits and create a more diverse, and thus stable, marketing effort.