Evaluating communication to optimise consumer-directed energy efficiency interventions

Abstract

Awareness campaigns, education and training programmes, label schemes and smart metering are all initiatives based on the principle that more and better information will encourage consumers to use less energy. Initiatives of this type can realise efficiency savings of up to 30%, and are likely to remain politically popular while preferred by the public to legislation or fines. While widespread, such programmes can have mixed performance, with savings often not reaching potential. This article investigates whether existing theoretical models can usefully be combined for evaluations of such message-oriented programmes. To do this it examines relationships between the variables of the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) using empirical data from participants exposed to energy behaviour change projects. Analysis revealed that when used together, the theories may offer insight into the impact of messaging.While a single exploratory study can only describe what has occurred, it offers initial evidence to advocate further analysis of the potential of the combined framework. The author offers an illustration of how the framework might be utilised by other schemes by example of its application to a major EU project to save energy in Europe's public buildings.

Smart meters and household electricity consumption: A case study in Ireland

“…Awareness campaigns, education and training programmes, label schemes and smart metering and other similar initiatives have great potential to encourage consumers to use less energy and realize efficiency savings of up to 30%. 39,44 Joachain and Klopfert explore how the emerging trend of using complementary currencies for sustainability policies could translate into new interventions adapted to the smart meter deployment and capable of promoting more autonomous forms of motivation compared to interventions using official currencies. 43…”

Institutional, social and individual behavioural effects of energy feedback in public buildings across eleven European cities

“…Figure 1 illustrates the overall evaluation framework and the central role that qualitative interviews offered in providing insight into these latter factors on individual change that might be discovered in surveys or operational change noted through energy modelling. This theoretical framework is described in more detail in Wilson (2014).…”

“…Energy efficiency interventions frequently take two broad forms; efficiency behaviours, which involve one-shot actions such as the purchase of energy efficient equipment or installation of equipment, and curtailment behaviours, which involve forming habits around switching off unused appliances and turning down thermostats (Gardener and Stern, 2002). Communication-based campaigns, as one feature of a many-factor energy efficiency intervention, are well suited to encouraging this latter form of voluntary change (Wilson, 2014). This type of contribution to an energy efficiency intervention is underpinned by the idea that more and better information will encourage consumers to conserve energy use (Delmas, et al, 2013).…”

How preexisting beliefs and message involvement drive charitable donations: an integrated model

“…However, while ELM is often used to examine message processing, “many studies do not include the intention-adoption link in their model even though their underlying assumptions are based on the theory of planned behaviour”, (Goh et al , 2017, p. 14). In fact, it is argued that the flaw in ELM is that it fails to test the links between changes in attitude and changes in behaviour and that TPB fills that gap (Wilson, 2014). Further, integrating theories is important as combining two theories can address what neither can do independently (Mayer and Sparrowe, 2013).…”