California Institute for Energy and Environment (CIEE)

We conducted an experiment to explore how teenagers can become energy conservation stewards at home. In this experiment, called the Dial Down Challenge, we equipped adolescents with knowledge about electricity and water conservation behavior during a six-week online program with guided activities to be completed at home. We tested whether teenagers could transfer this knowledge to other members of their household and induce attitudinal and behavioral change. We found that knowledge, awareness, and motivation for saving energy increased among both teenagers and their parents. We also found that participants’ perceptions of their agency increased across teenagers and parents. In terms of intergenerational exchange, we found that parents increased their reliance on the information provided by their children but reduced their perception of their children’s agency in changing energy conservation practices at home. In other words, participants realized that energy conservation was more challenging than anticipated. Overall, the results from this small experiment demonstrate the potential of a program like the Dial Down Challenge for increasing energy conservation awareness and knowledge within the household. However, we also find that this type of experiment requires active social interactions and is difficult to implement during a pandemic when these interactions are limited.

The Oakland EcoBlock is a whole-systems urban sustainability project that aims to prototype a pathway to affordable urban decarbonization by means of block-scale retrofitting that can reduce more than 50% of home energy usage. Considering the behavioral dimension of the energy retrofit process is key to understanding how household decision-making can enhance the adoption and performance of building efficiency measures – particularly in the EcoBlock, where low-to-moderate income constraints may limit accessibility to energy efficient upgrades. This study uses two survey instruments to explore key drivers of energy efficient technology adoption and operational behavior amongst EcoBlock residents.

This report reviews a representative selection of completed and ongoing energy reduction competitions and uses the lessons learned to provide best practice guidance on the design, implementation, and evaluation of future programs.

This report reviews a representative selection of completed and ongoing energy reduction competitions and uses the lessons learned to provide best practice guidance on the design, implementation, and evaluation of future programs. We address four key research questions: How effective have been competitions at changing behavior and reducing energy? How long do energy savings persist after the end of the competition? Under what circumstances are competitions more or less effective? What are common best practices for the design, implementation and evaluation of energy and resource conservation competitions? The primary target audiences for this report are electric and natural gas utilities seeking to broaden their portfolio of behavior-based interventions, as well as potential designers, implementers and evaluators of energy reduction competitions.

In the last two years, the California Institute for Energy and Environment (CIEE) managed nine white papers on behavior and energy that were funded by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). In order to determine what should be done in the future in the area of behavior and energy, CIEE conducted a survey in the Fall of 2009 to assess the value of these papers, see how these papers have been used and are planning to be used, and determine what additional activities should be conducted in the area of behavior and energy (e.g., more white papers or other activities). Many of the respondents felt that the papers were beneficial and useful. The papers represented an extraordinary resource that could be accessed over time for guidance in designing, implementing, and evaluating policies and programs. The papers also reflected cutting edge research that highlighted big ideas, raised questions regarding existing energy policy and programs, and kept them informed on progress in the areas of behavior and energy efficiency. Many respondents had already made use of the papers for: general inspiration; training staff; referring to the papers as part of a research study, scientific article, or a proposal; and increasing their understanding of how technology is applied in the market to guide research projects, and of the increasing role of behavioral motivation in energy efficiency. Respondents have also used the papers for: reviewing study methodologies and proposals; supporting recommendations in comments or filings in public proceedings; and making product feature recommendations. Respondents have also used these papers for: designing, developing and evaluating pilots and marketing and outreach strategies; conducting energy savings potential studies; and conducting academic research (e.g., using experimental designs). Finally, many respondents planned to continue their current use of the papers (as noted above) and to explore other opportunities, such as: developing program and speaker ideas; building networks of resources for policy makers and program implementers; and strategic planning. Most respondents felt that another set of white papers was needed. The list of potential papers was lengthy and diverse. And several respondents provided suggestions for improving the preparation, marketing, presentation, and utilization of the white papers. Several respondents provided suggestions for conducting other activities, besides preparing more white papers, in the area of behavior and energy. One key activity was presenting the information from the white papers more widely by discussing the topics in workshops, conferences, webinars, and journal articles. Another key activity was conducting research and demonstrations of behavioral motivation principles, especially designing, testing, and evaluating programs using experimental program design, and funding research topics that were identified in these white papers. In conclusion, the respondents felt that additional white papers, field research, and outreach activities should be supported by the CPUC in ensuring that behavioral issues are integrated in the implementation of energy efficiency programs.

Presentation for CIEE and the California Public Utilities Commission

This white paper examines the behavioral assumptions underlying utility sponsored energy efficiency programs offered to businesses in California. It describes how assumptions about business decision making (that are built into the design of these programs) can affect the ability of these programs to foster increased investment in energy efficient technology.

This white paper explores the ways in which residential consumers are addressed by California utility-managed energy efficiency programs, and offers suggestions for improvements that might better support the state’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals. The report reviews the assumptions that underlie the state’s residential energy efficiency policies and programs. A key set of assumptions can be found in a physical-technical-economic model (PTEM) that has oriented energy efficiency program design for several decades. The authors examine a suite of programs currently in operation and identify four somewhat different approaches being taken to influenceconsumer behavior and choice. They are variants of the PTEM, but also diverge by adding somewhat more realistic elements.

This white paper has the explicit intention to draw lessons learned from the past 30 years of energy efficiency program evaluation in order to facilitate improved program design and implementation going forward. The discussion in this white paper is developed based on interviews with 43 individuals who are either practitioners or users of process and market evaluation. In addition, we obtained references to published materials from our contacts and reviewed conference proceedings dating from 1992 to 2008, which resulted in a review of nearly 100 articles or reports documenting the results of, or commenting on, process and market evaluations.

This paper argues that the establishment of a process designed to manage innovation must be developed in California to foster the creation of needed program improvements and develop new and more effective energy efficiency delivery programs. This paper discusses several key institutional problems that must be overcome to achieve significant progress.