Everyday Ecology, Energy, Consumption
Endbericht (german)
Presentation "The Art of Consultancy – Comparison of different Types of Electricity Saving Programs for Private Households" finden Sie unter: Duscha_Duennhoff.pdf
Project:
Efficient Advisory Instruments to Reduce Energy Consumption in Private Households
Project Head:
ifeu – Institut für
Energie- und UmweltResearch Heidelberg GmbH, Markus Duscha (Leitung), Elke
Dünnhoff
ISOE: Dr. Doris Hayn
Cooperation:
Dr. Gundula Hübner vom Institut für Psychologie der Universität Halle-Wittenberg
Funding:
Programm BW-Plus Baden-Württemberg
Duration:
04/2005-09/2007
finished
Cognate projects:
Joint Emissions Trading as a Social-Ecological Transformation (JET-SET) ... more
Evaluation and optimisation of the advisory campaign "focus: heating" of the "Bremer Energie-Konsens GmbH" ... more
Improving energy efficient refurbishment of private homes ... more
Efficient Advisory Instruments to Reduce Energy Consumption in Private Households
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.