Pilot Tailoring via Internet, a strategy to promote energy efficiency within Dutch households

Panel: Panel 4. Building the bridge from lab to customer

Authors:
Iemy Brand, Novem
Jessica Dirks, Novem

Abstract

The growing importance of a global reduction in CO2 emissions requires highly effective instruments. The Dutch government considers households an important target group for energy reduction, because of the large reduction potential. However, influencing consumers’ behaviour is difficult because it is a diffuse target group. A promising new instrument to influence energy related behaviour may be tailor-made advice via internet.

New information technologies like internet offer the possibility to reach diffuse target groups, like households, with tailor-made advice. With computer tailoring the information can be personalised and fitted to personal circumstances and motivations. This means that each person receives personal, tailor-made advice. Households also receive follow-up advice and feedback about the consequences of their behaviour (saved money and carbon dioxide emissions etc). Households will also be able to benchmark with other households. Tailor-made advice via internet has the potential to combine the success factors for behavioral change.

In the project PiTH, “Pilot Tailoring Households”, a tailoring system will be developed for Dutch households. This innovative project is initiated and sponsored by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Detailed behavioural research is carried out in order to lay a good foundation for the computer system. In 2003 the system will be tested among 1 000 households and, if successful, implemented on a national scale.