Information tools for energy demand reduction in existing residential buildings

The report identifies three categories of information tools to support residential thermal retrofits: those that raise awareness of benefits, those that assist in planning and investment, and those that train professionals. It finds that while individual tools like detailed billing or in-home displays can reduce energy consumption by 1-10% or more, their effectiveness depends on implementation factors such as 'opt-out' participation, user education, and the quality of professional certification. The document emphasizes that information tools are generally cost-effective and can significantly catalyze energy efficiency investments when tailored to consumer needs.

• Detailed energy bills and reports containing normative data (local averages) are cost-effective and can lead to household energy savings between 1% and 10%, with a median of approximately 5%.
• The effectiveness of detailed billing tools is higher when participation is automated via an 'opt-out' system rather than requiring an explicit 'opt-in' sign-up.
• In-home energy displays and smart meters can realistically achieve energy savings of around 5% for large samples of regular users, though motivated individuals may reach 20% or more.
• Local leadership programmes leveraging peer networks (friends and neighbors) are efficient, low-cost ways to deliver advice and create a culture of energy knowledge.
• Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) currently have a moderate to low impact because they often lack absolute trust, do not translate energy ratings into financial terms, and are frequently unavailable for dwellings.
• Online energy analysis tools are highly popular and cost-effective, with some German tools like 'Heizcheck' acting as a principal trigger for 25% of retrofits among homeowners.
• Energy auditing and consultation are effective for triggering retrofits; for example, over 90% of users of the detailed 'BAfA-Vor-Ort-Beratung' program in Germany implemented or planned energy-saving measures.
• Professional certification for contractors is essential for building household trust, but the productivity loss associated with certification can hinder small construction firms from participating.

APA

Novikova, A., Amecke, H., Neuhoff, K., Stelmakh, K., Kiss, B., Rohde, C., Dunkelberg, E., Weiß, J., Matschoss, K., & Darby, S. (2011). Information tools for energy demand reduction in existing residential buildings. Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Information-Tools-for-Energy-Demand-Reduction.pdf

Chicago

Novikova, Aleksandra, Hermann Amecke, Karsten Neuhoff, Kateryna Stelmakh, Bernadett Kiss, Clemens Rohde, Elisa Dunkelberg, et al. Information tools for energy demand reduction in existing residential buildings. Climate Policy Initiative, 2011. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Information-Tools-for-Energy-Demand-Reduction.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{novikova2011information, author = {Novikova, Aleksandra and Amecke, Hermann and Neuhoff, Karsten and Stelmakh, Kateryna and Kiss, Bernadett and Rohde, Clemens and Dunkelberg, Elisa and Weiß, Julika and Matschoss, Kaisa and Darby, Sarah}, title = {{Information tools for energy demand reduction in existing residential buildings}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2011}, month = jun, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Information-Tools-for-Energy-Demand-Reduction.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }