Impact of Japanese House Insulation Subsidy System on Home Owners' Energy-Saving Awareness

Achieving the massive target of reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in the household sector requires that consumers be made aware of this issue. If consumers update their energy-saving awareness and related behaviors, the energy-efficiency effect can be expected to continue. For this purpose, this study analyzes the indirect effects of the housing eco-points system subsidy on consumers in Japan. We collected data using a questionnaire survey of consumers who used the subsidy system and performed a logistic regression analysis. The results revealed the following factors exert a positive effect on energy-saving awareness: realization of insulation-performance effect, understanding of insulation and energy conservation standards, experience of the environmentally concerned, timely receipt of the subsidy, and the self-declaration system. Further, the results showed that, when consumers are exposed to the learning effects through experience and understanding, they become more conscious of energy conservation. This indicates that the housing eco-points subsidy had indirectly affected energy saving. This study can provide policymakers with useful guidance in policymaking and institutional design, and another method for reducing carbon dioxide emissions to maximize the use of limited resources amid financial constraints.