Energy Insight: Energy efficiency and behaviour change
"...wider societal changes will be needed. [EI] Members emphasise the need for more engagement of energy consumers in the [energy] system. Adopting new technologies and shifting demand through behavioural change are seen as necessary on the consumers' side." Energy Barometer, Energy Institute..
International
United Nations Sustainable energy for all 2014-2024. Global plan of action.
Includes: Create more incentives for a change in behaviour to manage and allocate resources in a more sustainable manner: activities relating to the Decade should promote sustainable energy production and consumption so that energy resources are used in a more equitable manner.
World Energy Council, "Energy Efficiency: A straight path towards energy sustainability", November 2016, 152 pages,
Europe
European Commission Directorate-General Energy Study on energy efficiency and energy saving potential in industry and on possible policy mechanisms.Contract No. ENER/C3/2012-439/S12.666002. ICF International, 1 December 2015
Under the Energy Efficiency Directive, EU countries must set up an Energy efficiency obligation scheme. This scheme requires energy companies to achieve yearly energy savings of 1.5% of annual sales to final consumers. In order to reach this target, companies need to carry out measures which help final consumers improve energy efficiency. This may include improving the heating system in consumers' homes, installing double glazed windows, or better insulating roofs to reduce energy consumption. This page gives links to pdfs showing what individual European countries are doing.
START2ACT - offering free-of-charge mentoring and training activities in nine European countries. Funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Delivered in the UK by the Carbon Trust (see below)
European Environment Agency
Achieving energy efficiency through behaviour change: what does it take? Technical report No 5/2013, EEA, 10 April 2013
This report provides a review of available literature on measures targeting consumer behaviour in order to achieve energy savings. It focuses on: Energy efficiency measures and behaviour change; structural factors - such as the impact of liberalisation and the energy mix and energy tariff structures; the rebound effect.
UK Government
Department of Energy & Climate Change
What Works in Changing Energy-Using Behaviours in the Home? A Rapid Evidence Assessment Final Report Undertaken by RAND Europe. November 2012. (published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government)
The main objective was to answer this question by systematically reviewing the evidence around domestic behaviour change, with a particular focus on international evidence.
Behaviour Change and Energy Use This paper draws on evidence from behavioural economics and psychology to outline a new approach to enabling people, at home and at work, to reduce their energy consumption and reduce their bills in the process. The Behavioural Insights Team has published a report setting out how we can use behavioural insights to help people save energy and money. The report, Behaviour Change and Energy Use, launches a series of trials and changes to government policy which will make it easier for individuals to green their homes and use less energy. DECC, 6 Jul 2011 (This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government)
An introduction to Thinking about ‘Energy Behaviour’: a Multi Model Approach. DECC, December 2011 "The purpose of this paper is to set out a number of different perspectives that can be used to understand and interpret behaviour. It sets these out within a framework that demonstrates how each approach can contribute something valuable towards developing a broad view of behaviour"
Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) Previously part of the Cabinet Office, BIT is now jointly owned by the UK Government; Nesta (the innovation charity); and its own employees.it was the world’s first government institution dedicated to the application of behavioural sciences.
Objectives:
• making public services more cost-effective and easier for citizens to use;
• improving outcomes by introducing a more realistic model of human behaviour to policy; and wherever possible,
• enabling people to make ‘better choices for themselves’.
Smart Meters Derogation Guidance: supporting energy supplier applications for trials of in-home display alternatives , BIT. April 2016. The evidence that DECC receives through the trials will inform considerations on whether the In Home Display mandate remains optimised to deliver consumer benefits, specifically, whether alternative feedback devices and methods can deliver equivalent or greater consumer benefits to In Home Displays.
UK non-Government
Carbon Trust
Low Carbon Behaviour Change: The £300 million opportunity. Carbon Trust, 19 December
2013.
Carbon Turst estimates that workplaces could save £300 million a year through encouraging employees to adopt behaviours that reduce energy use and waste. This report outlines how to deliver a successful behaviour change campaign.
START2ACT programme for young SMEs and startups Free energy efficiency consulting and mentoring for startups and young SMEs. Announced by BEIS on 14 July 2017, but not yet trading.
Demos
Carrots, sticks and sermons: influencing public behaviour for environmental goals. December 2003. This report from the think tank Demos "identified current thinking and best practice in the art of public influencing" and was designed to assist DEFRA.
Energy Saving Trust Save energy at home – independent and impartial advice
To encourage home energy behaviour change, move beyond financial goals, David Weatherall, EST, Guardian 14 February 2014
UKERC, "Mapping energy participation: A systematic review of diverse practices of participation in UK energy transitions, 2010-2015", April 2017, research paper, 115 pages, “What does public participation in energy transitions look like at a relational 'whole systems' level?
UKERC, Energy, economy and societal preferences, ongoing programme, “The theme will also explore how public attitudes and values about energy system change relate to issues of fairness, affordability and trust; and how these values influence decision-making.”
Academic / Learned society / Trade Association
British Psychological Society (BPS)
Behaviour change: energy consumption (pdf) Important to aim for organisational change as well as individual; changes need to be reinforced by feedback or they are gradually forgotten; people go for small rewards in the near future rather than bigger rewards later; default modes are accepted so, for example, the default should be lights are off and need to be switched on.
The Demand Centre Research projects in relevant areas including:
- Trends and patterns in energy demand Developing new ways of analysing the relation between the dynamics of end use practices and dynamics of energy demand, moving beyond reliance on aggregate patterns and averages.
- The dynamics of energy use in daily life Exploring how energy use is changing in relation to work, home and leisure activities.
- Adapting infrastructure for a lower carbon Looking at how infrastructure influences, or has influenced in the past, energy demand.
- Local smart grids Researching the management of energy demand and energy demand reduction in practice.
- Invisible energy policy Looking at how policies in healthcare, military and higher education can have knock-on effects on energy demand.
Energy Institute
Energy Aware - An innovative 30-minute online tool focussed on raising energy awareness in the workplace, certificated by the Energy Institute
Understanding your energy culture is a new tool adapted from the well-known Understanding your (safety) culture tool. The Energy Institute has adapted the research and learning behind improving safety culture to improve energy management performance.
The EI eLibrary (an EI member benefit) contains millions of resources including ebooks, scholarly journal articles, and other research relevant to energy, with a large subset discussing energy consumption behaviour.
ESTA (Energy Services and Technology Association)
Member case studies including 23 on Behaviour change
Stanford University – Precourt Institute for Energy – Precourt Energy Efficiency Center
Dr. Carrie Armel is a research associate at Stanford’s Precourt Energy Efficiency Center (PEEC) where she investigates the diverse ways in which an understanding of human behavior can lead to improvements in energy efficiency. Recent presentation: Behavior, Energy and Climate Change: A Solutions-Oriented Approach. Her focus is on what is happening in the USA and how to design equipment, buildings, urban layout, etc to influence behaviour into energy efficiency. Gives examples of schemes that have been successful in improving behaviour to increase energy efficiency.
“So to sum up the essence of this talk, if we want to realize the energy efficiency gains that are possible, it will take acknowledging that the problem is a design failure, not a people failure.”
ETHOS - Searchable database of doctoral studies from UK universities, including multiple on energy consumption behaviour.
Energy company initiatives
British Gas
Using your Smart Energy Report information: Where do I get energy saving products to reduce my usage?; Set your heating efficiently (video); DIY Draught proofing (video) 2017
E.ON UK plc Affordable Warmth scheme Free cavity wall insulation and free loft insulation for qualified households through the government's Affordable Warmth initiative.
Other organisations
RAC How to save fuel – the ultimate guide 14 Feb 2017 Reduce motor fuel consumption.
Other countries
Switzerland
Front. Energy Res., 15 June 2015
USA
Building Efficiency Initiative
Changing Culture: The Behavior-Based Approach to Energy Efficiency - An interview with Dian Grueneich by Kelly Smith 29 June 2010 The approach of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) towards promoting energy efficiency.
Hunt Allcott Social norms and energy conservation Journal of Public Economics, 2011, vol. 95, issue 9, 1082-1095
This paper evaluates a programme encouraging residential energy users across the USA to reduce their consumption by telling them what their neighbours consume - estimated to reduce average energy consumption by 2.0% but with a range of 6.3% to 0.3%.
(Originally published July 2017; updated and links checked November 2019)
