|
Project Management:
ifeu – Institute for Energy- and Environmental Research
Heidelberg GmbH, Markus Duscha (Poject Head), Elke Dünnhoff
Project Team in ISOE:
Doris Hayn
Cooperation Partner:
Dr. Gundula Hübner, Institute for Psychology, University Halle-Wittenberg
Funding:
Programme BW-Plus Baden- Wuerttemberg
Duration:
04/2005 bis 09/2007
Research Area:
Everyday Day Life Ecology and Consumption
|
The consumption of electricity in private households is
still growing despite increasing energy efficiency of home appliances.
Several institutions, like electricity suppliers, energy agencies,
consumer organisations and environmental organisations try to counteract
this trend, running information campaigns and offering advisory services.
But which advisory instrument is the most effective from a cost-benefit
point of view? Based on an evaluation of existing advisory instruments,
the ifeu - Institute for Energy- and Environmental Research Heidelberg
GmbH carried out a research project to improve the efficiency of tools to
instruct consumers in saving energy.
Looking at households, the integration of gender aspects and questions
is a crucial issue. Thus, the ISOE as a scientific partner is cooperating
in the project in order to strengthen the gender perspective and to
support a target group oriented development of advisory instruments.
While energy consumption of the industry has decreased in the last
couple of years, energy consumption of private households in Germany from
1990 to 2002 has increased by 12,6%. In Baden-Wuerttemberg, the share of
energy consumption by private households is at 24,5%.
Energy consumption in private households is growing due to the rising
numbers of appliances and their increased use, for example in the area of
information and communication devices. In addition, energy loss is caused
by the use of devices in stand by mode or by the inadequate use of energy
efficient appliances.
To break with this trend, energy agencies, consumer organizations and
environmental organizations offer special advisory instruments and
information campaigns to consumers. Many of them are designed as low cost
"pick-up-offers", often being used only by a few households. Campaigns
directed towards a broader public usually achieve in the long run only
little change of attitudes towards the use of stand-by mode or the
purchase of more energy efficient appliances.
The research project therefore investigated different advisory concepts
under the aspect of cost efficiency. The focus was put in particular on
the links between the type of instrument and advisory intensity (e.g.
campaign or door-to-door advisory), advisory source (energy supplier,
consumer organisation etc.) and accessibility of different target groups
(e.g. household and family structures, life-styles etc.). The aim was to
design efficient advisory tools that help private households to reduce
electricity consumption.
Based on an analysis of existing advisory instruments and drawing on
the practical expertise of actors within this field, several tools were
developed and exemplary tested in Heidelberg. The project supported the
implementation and evaluated the different advisory styles. Based on the
findings, suggestions for efficient advisory instruments were formulated.
Gender aspects are supposed to have considerable influence on energy
consumption and might also interfere with the impact of energy related
advisory instruments. For example, gender aspects might shape
decision-making related to the purchase of electrical appliances or affect
behaviour patterns and the use of electricity. Accordingly, advisory
instruments and services have to take interests and life situations of
both men and women into account. In addition, gender aspects should be
considered in communication and public relations. The ISOE therefore
served as a scientific partner in order to strengthen the gender
perspective and to support a target group oriented development of advisory
instruments. |