before and after a home energy audit: changes to consumption behaviour michelle grace scott behave...
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Before and After a Home Energy Audit: Changes to Consumption Behaviour
Michelle Grace ScottBehave Energy Conference 2014
Kā Rakahau o Te Ao Tūroa
Centre for SustainabilityAgriculture Food Energy Environment
Our Objectives
Drier homes
Warmer homes
More energy efficient homes
Average Temperatures
Summer Winter
Dunedin 15.3 °C 6.6 °C
Oxford 16.4 °C 3.6 °C
Housing Situation
• New Zealand’s relatively poor housing stock• A lot of Dunedin houses are damp, single
glazed with inadequate insulation• Strategies such as energy feedback may not be
appropriate• Goal is to use energy more efficiently and be
warmer & drier rather than overall consumption reduction
Intervention
• Home Energy Audits–Expert advisor–Personalised tailored
advice–Not common in NZ–Uptake was difficult
Research QuestionsHow the home energy audit affects:
Energy awareness and energy literacy
Behaviour around energy in their homes
Social norms around energy issues
The Energy Cultures Framework
Energy practicesNorms
Material culture
Self-reinforcing
“Material culture”
Material culture
Heating devices Energy sources
Insulation House structure
“Energy practices”
Energy practices
Turning on heater
Putting on jersey
Maintaining heating technologies
Drawing curtains
“Norms and Aspirations”
Norms and aspirations
Social aspirations
Environmental concern
Expected warmth levels
Maintaining traditions
Material culture
Energy practices
Norms and aspirations
Have
The Energy Cultures Framework
Material culture
Energy practices
Norms and aspirations
Have
The Energy Cultures Framework
Do
Material culture
Energy practices
Norms and aspirations
Have
Think Do
The Energy Cultures Framework
MethodPre survey (behaviours, knowledge, social norms, material culture)
Home Energy Audit
Post survey (behaviours, knowledge, social norms, material culture)
< 1 week
4-6 months
Motivations
• “We would like to find out what we can do to keep in heat and run our house energy efficiently”
• “In our house we are either cold in the cool months or we spend a great deal trying to heat the space. We'd like to be warmer with less cost and waste.”
• “I am interested in sustainability and would like to not waste much energy. I like to keep my costs low on long term and do like low tech approaches.”
Demographics
<29,000 30 - 59,000 60 - 89,000 >90,0000
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
NEVBlueskin
Rent -
private
owner
Rent -h
ousing N
Z
Own debt fr
ee
Own with
mortg
age
Other0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
NEVBlueskin
Income Housing
Perc
enta
ge
Perc
enta
ge
Everyone who had audit lived in a separate house, with average of 8 rooms
Pre Audit MeasuresArea N Save Money Save
EnvironmentBlueskin 21 4.52 (.98) 4.19 (1.21)
North East Valley 22 4.55 (.74) 4.64 (.66)
Area N KnowledgeBlueskin 21 6.38 (1.36)
North East Valley 18 6.83 (0.92)
No differences between suburbs on knowledge or reasons to change energy consumption
Pre-Audit Measures
• No significant differences between suburbs on their material culture
Area N MaterialsBlueskin 21 6.38 (1.36)
North East Valley 18 6.83 (0.92)
Energy Use After AuditHow energy use has changed since audit
Percentage
More efficient 38.1%Energy use hasn’t changed 23.8%More frugal 16.7%Make my home more comfortable 16.7%Use as much as I want 2.4%
Energy Literacy
• No significant differences on energy literacy before and after audit
N Mean (maximum 1)Pre-audit 19 0.84 (0.20)Post-audit 19 0.70 (0.24)
Practices
• Dry your laundry outside• Do the laundry on cold wash settings• Pull the curtains at night• Turn appliances off at the wall (not just leave
them on standby)• Reduce heating in unoccupied rooms
Practices
• After the audit, more people reported practicing energy efficient behaviours
(t (19) = -2.69, p = <0.05)
N Mean (max 5)Pre-audit 20 3.79 (0.31)Post-audit 20 4.01 (0.37)
Materials
• How much of your floor is covered with good quality, heavy duty carpet?
• What proportion of your windows have well fitted and heavy curtains/drapes?
• In what proportion of your home do you have energy saving lights?
Material Changes
• After the audit, more people reported having improved their material culture
N Mean (max 5)Pre-audit 20 2.90 (0.64)Post-audit 20 3.54 (0.51)
(t (19) = -4.58, p = <0.01)
Household Changes
• “Installed pelmets and lined the curtains. Installed under floor insulation.”
• “Increased amount of insulation - much more to do. Investigated and still working on ways to harness sun's energy to improve inside temperature.”
• “New thick curtains in bedrooms. New fireplace. Ceiling insulation. Turning more things off at the wall.”
How helpful were these organisations/people?
Information source Mean helpfulness rating (max 5)
Sustainability community groups 4.23Tradespeople 4.00Friends and family 3.91Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
3.91
Internet 3.88TV 3.46Colleagues 3.40Power company 2.95Newspapers 2.85
Influencing Others
• “Yes, I have older children in their own homes and I have taught them things that I learnt.”
• “Have passed on some thicker curtains to other residents.”
• “I have shown people my windows and told friends about the positive effect. Some are now interested in doing more research on filling the draft gaps and double glazing.”
Conclusions
• Audits helped to change practices• Audits also led to changes in material culture• Audit encouraged people to discuss energy
changes with others• Can be effective way of encouraging change in
overall energy culture
Thank You
[email protected] Energy Conference 2014
Kā Rakahau o Te Ao Tūroa
Centre for SustainabilityAgriculture Food Energy Environment