Barriers to domestic energy efficiency – an evaluation of retrofit policies and market transformation strategies

Panel: 2. Energy efficiency policies: What delivers?

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Aaron Gillich, CEREB - London Southbank University, United Kingdom
Minna Sunikka-Blank, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that efforts to reduce carbon emissions must consider strategies to improve the energy efficiency of existing building stock. A number of existing policy options address barriers to energy efficiency improvements in the domestic sector. The objectives of The Better Buildings Neighborhood Program in the United States include addressing the upfront cost barrier and information asymmetries by transforming the market for domestic retrofits. The common national level policy objectives have been executed at the state and local levels using different implementation strategies for financing and engagement. This work evaluates a selection of programs individually using a common policy theory framework, which allows a quantitative comparison to be made among the approaches taken. The success of each program is then measured using common indicators. This unique group of programs targeting similar objectives allows the opportunity to study the indicators for financing and engagement mechanisms that most effectively translate policy theory into successful energy savings for the end user.