european council for an energy efficient economy Thoughts on changing behaviour– the energy efficiency challenge Rod Janssen eceee May 18, 2011
A comment on improving energy efficiency • EE policy depends on changing behaviour of consumers • This has always been the case and always will be • There are times when behaviour change is really needed more than ever for saving energy – during an energy crisis, for example – but those changes do not always lead to energy efficiency improvements and they are often not long lasting – or even meant to be – The International Energy Agency considers this “demand restraint” when savings are done for a short term emergency Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 2
Energy Efficiency is messy business • Energy policy has the “luxury” of dealing with relatively big energy companies, some of them extremely big. • That can have its difficulties but there are relatively few actors • For energy efficiency, the context is totally different: we are talking about influencing every consumer in Europe to take action. • For each consumer, one time it concerns the house, the next time the car, the next time the business. • It is very complex Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 3
Consider energy efficiency policy today • I am not going to review the latest Energy Efficiency Plan from March or any of the recent directives but there are two areas that depend on consumer behaviour that have been given attention: – energy performance certificates for buildings, which are in the EPBD – smart meters which were discussed in the EEP Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 4
Energy Performance Certificates • Energy Performance Certificates are required as part of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive from 2002 and recast in 2010. EPCs are key to creating awareness of the state of Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 5
Public acceptance Perception of Use of certificates usefulness by the Main "discussion points" at sale/rent public Transparency of the certificate, not showing total energy performance, AT ** * recommendations not always presented (clearly). BE (Flanders) **** *** Non-residential stil under development. Perception of general public as new expression of bureaucracy. Information on EPC CZ * * not very useful. Only EPC for new buildings and major renovations. Main group of existing buildings not effected. For new buildings EPCs are issued more than for transaction moments for existing DK *** ** buildings. Use of EPCs high in social renting market, but low in private rental market. EPC still FR ** ** often only regarded as an 'informative instrument'. The quality of the cheaper version based on measured rating. Registration and DE ** * practical enforcement. The costs of the certificate and mandatory character are a discussion point for the HU * * general public. EPCs not mandatory yet for existing buildings. Recommendations for energy saving measures not in actual EPC but in advisory IE **** **** report. Actual use of EPCs high for social housing, but low for private market. A public NL ** ** discussion on the transparency, reliability and reproducibility of the certificates lead to adaptations in the scheme. The EPC provides little useful information for the building owner for improvements. PL ** * In practice EPCs are only issued at transactions when demanded by both parties. PT **** ** Use of EPCs is lower in the rental market than in the sale market. ES * * EPCs are only in practice for new buildings, public awareness is low. Improvement Room for Good Very good desirable improvement
From recent analysis from Buildings Performance Institute Europe • The public acceptance and usability of the EPCs by the general public and the professional market is an important issue. These are related to the quality and the cost of the assessment • Some countries are explicitly searching for ways to enhance public acceptance and usability of the EPCs (for instance through promotional campaigns and a specific certificate design or even by means of a public round of consultation as Ireland started in the first phases of EPBD implementation). Other countries pay little attention to this Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 7
From recent analysis in the Netherlands • It is also relevant to note that EPCs can have an impact on the real estate value. A recent study undertaken by the University of Maastricht shows that the existence of an energy performance certificate can impact the value with about 2.5%. [Professor D. Brouwen] Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 8
From recent analysis in Denmark • With exception of A-labelled houses in the first two years after house purchase, all the estimated savings are insignificant, and therefore our empirical results cannot support the hypothesis of significant average energy savings due to the Danish Energy Labelling Scheme several years after a house is bought. Whether the insignificant differences in energy consumption between labelled and non labelled houses means that energy saving renovations are carried out independent of the energy label, or energy saving renovations are not carried out at all is not possible to conclude. • [Source: eceee 2009 Summer Study Paper by V. Kjaerbye – paper number 3068] Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 9
Key Thoughts on EPCs concerning Behaviour • The recast of the buildings directive has tightened up the use of EPCs to make them more effective • Feedback from the EPC is particularly important at point of sale or rental. • There really is no feedback for long-term home owner • Increasingly, EPCs are used by real estate agents. This is particularly true in France where it became mandatory in January 2011 • EPCs have been useful as Display Certificates in public buildings • much more research is needed on actual effect. Potential is considered high but results to date are mixed Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 10
Smart Meters • A smart meter is usually an electrical meter that records consumption of electrical energy in intervals of an hour or less and communicates that information at least daily back to the utility for monitoring and billing purposes. Smart meters enable two-way communication between the meter and the central system. Unlike home energy monitors, smart meters can gather data for remote reporting. • the need of careful consideration of effective feedback techniques as an essential precondition for actually achieving a more sustainable society through smart metering. Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 11
Smart Meters • Smart Meters do not necessarily bring environmental benefits. • If regulatory requirements for a “successful” Smart Meter rollout include environmental benefits, such as increased systems efficiency and lowered consumption, then Smart Meters can and will be used to create these benefits. If regulators and policy makers do not make this part of their definition of “success” and do not support it with constructive policy measures, Smart Meters will not bring substantial environmental benefits. Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 12
Smart Meters • Smart meter infrastructure creates a platform on which a variety of highly effective energy efficiency programmes can be built – but they only form one part of this infrastructure, the rest is made up of regulatory structures, financial market structures, enabling communication technology, marketing and active consumer participation. Key is supportive policy and regulation. Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 13
From UK consultation • The Government's vision is for every home in Great Britain to have smart energy meters, giving people far better information about, and control over, their energy consumption than today. Businesses and public sector users should also have smart or advanced energy metering suited to their needs. • The rollout of smart meters will play an important role in Britain ‟ s transition to a low-carbon economy, and help us meet some of the long-term challenges we face in ensuring an affordable, secure and sustainable energy supply . Consumers' interests lie at the heart of the programme. Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 14
From UK consultation - 2 • The Government will develop a consumer engagement strategy. As part of this, there is a strong case for some elements of consumer engagement to be carried out centrally or on a coordinated basis. In addition to the role of suppliers in promoting engagement, such an approach could be particularly important in enabling all consumers to access the potential benefits of smart metering. Further work will be carried out in the next phase to develop this strategy. Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 15
Key Thoughts on Smart Meters concerning Behaviour • There is perception that feedback on how energy is consumed will lead to behaviour change but this is not necessarily true in and of itself • Key winner initially is the energy company, particularly when governments are helping to subsidise their implementation • smart meters, however, do offer a platform for future interaction with consumers. Even companies such as Google are getting involved • There is a big political priority to make this work Thoughts on Changing Behaviour 18/05/2011 • 16
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