Making home energy upgrades can reduce the running cost and greenhouse gas emissions of a home, while increasing comfort for occupants. Identifying the most suitable and cost effective home energy upgrade can be a complex decision, with uncertainty leading to inaction.
BETA partnered with the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to design and test interventions which empower homeowners to take action to upgrade their home’s energy performance.
BETA tested five policy interventions using survey experiments with 13,797 Australians to find out what works.
We found that mandatory disclosure of Home Energy ratings helped participants choose to inspect homes with higher energy ratings, and helped sellers prioritise energy upgrades over cosmetic upgrades. Additionally, decision support resources for consumers such as a text prompt or online decision support tool can increase interest or confidence in making an upgrade decision.
ADDITIONAL TRIAL INFORMATION
Trial start and end dates: 16 to 28 May 2024
Ethics approval: Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) Humanities and Social Sciences, Macquarie University. Reference: 15629.
Research participants: 13,797
Design: One survey containing five survey experiments (randomised controlled trials).
This trial was pre-registered on the American Economic Association registry: Home energy upgrades survey.
