The effect of tailored information, goal setting and feedback on household

energy use Wokje Abrahamse, Linda Steg & Charles Vlek

Energy conservation?

“Damned green electricity!”

Purpose

1). test the effectiveness of a combination of interventions: tailored information,

feedback and goal setting

2). examine why this combination was(in)effective

underlying determinants: knowledge

Household energy use

Direct energy use Energy use related to gas, electricity and fuel use

• thermostat setting • showering time

Indirect energy use Energy use related related to the production, consumption and disposal of goods

• eating meat • car use for distances shorter than 5 km

Interventions

Information 1). about energy problems 2). about energy saving measures (‘tailored’)

• Lower thermostat setting• Reduce showering time• Eat less meat• Reduce amount of waste

Increase of knowledge

Interventions

Goal settingProvide households with a reference point

Individual goal of 5%Group goal (inhabitants of Groningen) of 5%

Interventions

Feedback about energy savings Insight into (changes in) energy use

• individual feedback: own performance• group feedback: own performance compared to performance of the group of participants

Outline

Longitudinal study: 1 before the intervention (pre-test)2 after the intervention (after 2 and 5 months)

Design1). Tailored information, goal setting (5%), individual feedback (N = 62)2). Tailored information, (group) goal setting (5%), individual feedback, group feedback (N = 61)3). Control group (N = 52)

Changes in total energy use five months after the intervention

-0.7

5 5.3

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

control group

individualfeedbackgroup feedback

Results

Changes in direct energy use five months after the intervention

2.8

7.78.6

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control group

individualfeedbackgroup feedback

Results

Changes in indirect energy use five months after the intervention

-3

3.8 4

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

control group

individualfeedbackgroup feedback

Results

19

19.2

19.4

19.6

19.8

20

20.2

before after

control group

groupfeedbackindividualfeedback

Day-time thermostat setting before and five months after the intervention

Results

7

7.5

8

8.5

9

9.5

10

before after

control group

groupfeedbackindividualfeedback

Average showering time per household member before and five months after the intervention

Results

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

before after

control group

groupfeedbackindividualfeedback

Number of car trips per week shorter than 5 km

Results

Determinants: knowledge

What is more energy efficient: cooking on a gas stove or on an electric one?

Experimental 75.4%Control 60.0 %

What uses more energy: A family of four driving 16,000 km a year of flying to the west-coast of the U.S.?

Experimental 74.4%Control 56.4%

Scientific implications

• combination of tailored information, goal setting and feedback seems effective

• educate people on indirect energy use(knowledge)

• Internet a promising medium for behavioral change