"With great power comes great responsibility": Understanding the behavioural determinants of residential energy efficiency in Wellington

<p>Recognition of the need for a transformation in our global energy systems to combat climate change has brought about an increased drive to curb energy consumption and increase energy efficiency. The residential sector is a prominent energy user and a key focus for this transition to a low carbon future. Psychology has played an increasingly important role in energy policy with an understanding that individuals act on motivators beyond economic explanations. This study provides a psychological evaluation of a residential energy efficiency intervention based in Wellington, New Zealand in order to develop a deeper understanding of how energy interventions engage participants in change and how they can be made more effective. The Wellington intervention uses a tailored information approach through a home energy audit to promote both efficiency and curtailment behaviours in local homes. By measuring before and after energy consumption changes in combination with salient psychological determinants, this quantitative study examines energy changes following the audit programme and the motivations involved in making these changes. The psychological determinants explored are the fundamental values held by programme participants as well as their level of concern for the environment. Analysis showed energy consumption changes following the audit to be variable and inconclusive as to the effectiveness of the overall programme. Values contributed a significant influence with self-transcendent values being a positive predictor of the number of efficiency behaviours implemented after the programme. This suggests that appealing to the altruistic concerns and collective interests salient within the self-transcendence value dimension when designing and implementing an intervention could aid uptake of energy conservation behaviour in future interventions.</p>

"With great power comes great responsibility": Understanding the behavioural determinants of residential energy efficiency in Wellington

<p>Recognition of the need for a transformation in our global energy systems to combat climate change has brought about an increased drive to curb energy consumption and increase energy efficiency. The residential sector is a prominent energy user and a key focus for this transition to a low carbon future. Psychology has played an increasingly important role in energy policy with an understanding that individuals act on motivators beyond economic explanations. This study provides a psychological evaluation of a residential energy efficiency intervention based in Wellington, New Zealand in order to develop a deeper understanding of how energy interventions engage participants in change and how they can be made more effective. The Wellington intervention uses a tailored information approach through a home energy audit to promote both efficiency and curtailment behaviours in local homes. By measuring before and after energy consumption changes in combination with salient psychological determinants, this quantitative study examines energy changes following the audit programme and the motivations involved in making these changes. The psychological determinants explored are the fundamental values held by programme participants as well as their level of concern for the environment. Analysis showed energy consumption changes following the audit to be variable and inconclusive as to the effectiveness of the overall programme. Values contributed a significant influence with self-transcendent values being a positive predictor of the number of efficiency behaviours implemented after the programme. This suggests that appealing to the altruistic concerns and collective interests salient within the self-transcendence value dimension when designing and implementing an intervention could aid uptake of energy conservation behaviour in future interventions.</p>

Residential Retrofit Policy in Chile and New Zealand: an Analysis Based on Energy Efficiency and Co-Benefits

<p>Society’s unsustainable patterns of energy consumption mean that residential energy efficiency plays a significant role in building a more sustainable society. This research analyses the process that has shaped residential retrofit policies in New Zealand and Chile; the first, a developed country with a long history of residential energy efficiency; the second, a developing country that is in the first stages of the retrofit policy process. Different theoretical approaches to residential energy efficiency were used, specifically, approaches within economic and behavioural economics theory, such as barriers theory, the rebound effect theory and co-benefits theory. A particular emphasis was given to co-benefits theory. The research found that in both Chile and New Zealand the retrofit policy process depends on critical contextual factors (e.g. global oil shocks, global financial crisis, energy security issues, electricity sector reforms and climate change mitigation policy) which trigger a sense of political urgency to address these factors. Local entities and the academic world have also contributed to shape retrofit policies. The multiple co-benefits of residential retrofit lead to a more resilient policy when governments and political will change. In the future, the co-benefits of health, fuel-poverty, fuel affordability, energy security and thermal comfort are likely to provide resilience to retrofit policies in Chile and New Zealand.</p>

Residential Retrofit Policy in Chile and New Zealand: an Analysis Based on Energy Efficiency and Co-Benefits

<p>Society’s unsustainable patterns of energy consumption mean that residential energy efficiency plays a significant role in building a more sustainable society. This research analyses the process that has shaped residential retrofit policies in New Zealand and Chile; the first, a developed country with a long history of residential energy efficiency; the second, a developing country that is in the first stages of the retrofit policy process. Different theoretical approaches to residential energy efficiency were used, specifically, approaches within economic and behavioural economics theory, such as barriers theory, the rebound effect theory and co-benefits theory. A particular emphasis was given to co-benefits theory. The research found that in both Chile and New Zealand the retrofit policy process depends on critical contextual factors (e.g. global oil shocks, global financial crisis, energy security issues, electricity sector reforms and climate change mitigation policy) which trigger a sense of political urgency to address these factors. Local entities and the academic world have also contributed to shape retrofit policies. The multiple co-benefits of residential retrofit lead to a more resilient policy when governments and political will change. In the future, the co-benefits of health, fuel-poverty, fuel affordability, energy security and thermal comfort are likely to provide resilience to retrofit policies in Chile and New Zealand.</p>