How to stimulate owner-occupiers to save energy?

Renée Bruel, SenterNovem
Joris Hoekstra, OTB TU Delft

Keywords

reduction of CO2 emissions, housing, energy conservation, owner-occupiers, intervention strategy, marketing

Abstract

In order to meet the Dutch governmental goals of reducing CO2 emission, strategies are needed to stimulate target groups to intensify efforts to save energy. SenterNovem, commissioned by the Ministry of Housing and Environment, developed a strategy to effectively influence the energy-relevant behaviour of owner-occupiers of residential buildings. This target group forms a large segment of the total group of households. This study addressed the following questions:

what are the determinants of energy-relevant behaviour of owner-occupiers of dwellings,
do different segments within that target group have different determinants of behaviour, and
what policy instruments are most effective in changing their behaviour?

From a survey of owner-occupiers 'predisposing' and 'enabling' determinants rather than 'reinforcing' determinants are most influential on the behaviour of owner-occupiers. Furthermore, we identified two segments within the target group: a low-income group and a high-income group. Low-income owner-occupiers are mainly influenced by predisposing determinants, Higher-income owner-occupiers are mainly influenced by enabling determinants,

An intervention strategy was then based on matching the determinants of the segments and the 'active ingredients' of policy instruments. The policy instruments most effective in changing the behaviour of the low-income group communicate the advantages of saving energy, offer information and provide subsidies or fiscal incentives. The policy instruments most effective in changing the behaviour of the high-income group give personal face-to-face or computer-based advice, appeals to housing comfort and the societal responsibility of the respondent, and focus on changing behaviour.

In this paper we lay the basis for an intervention strategy that will effectively influence the behaviour of owner-occupiers of older dwellings to invest in and use of energy-conservation technology. The results are relevant for governments and agencies that design energy conservation policies.