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Adoption of Energy Efficiency Measures for Non-residential Buildings: Technological and Organizational Heterogeneity in the Trade, Commerce and Services Sector

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  • Olsthoorn, Mark
  • Schleich, Joachim
  • Hirzel, Simon

Abstract

Drawing on agency theory and absorptive capacity literature, this paper empirically analyzes factors of adoption and barriers to adoption of four crosscutting, ancillary energy efficiency measures (EEMs) for non-residential buildings (efficient lighting, building insulation, heating system replacement, and optimization of heating system operations). The empirical analysis employs a large representative sample of organizations in the German trade, commerce and services sector. Results from econometric analyses provide evidence for a negative effect of principal–agent relationships (landlord-tenant; owner-user of energy supply equipment; parent-subsidiary) and for a positive effect of organizational attributes that contribute to absorptive capacity (energy manager in place; energy audit conducted; experience with decentralized low carbon energy). However, the significance of these effects varies by measure. For non-adopters, heterogeneity of crosscutting ancillary EEMs has little impact on the ranking of barriers to adoption. The most relevant barriers for all EEMs are rented spaces, high investment costs, and other priorities; least relevant are technical risk to production and risk to product quality. Finally, we find little evidence for differences in the factors of adoption and barriers to adoption between manufacturing and non-manufacturing organizations. These findings are robust to alternative model specifications.

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  • Olsthoorn, Mark & Schleich, Joachim & Hirzel, Simon, 2017. "Adoption of Energy Efficiency Measures for Non-residential Buildings: Technological and Organizational Heterogeneity in the Trade, Commerce and Services Sector," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 240-254.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:136:y:2017:i:c:p:240-254
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.02.022
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    Cited by:

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    3. Schleich, Joachim & Lehmann, Sascha & Cludius, Johanna & Abrell, Jan & Betz, Regina Annette & Pinkse, Jonatan, 2020. "Active or passive? Companies' use of the EU ETS," Working Papers "Sustainability and Innovation" S07/2020, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI).
    4. Kyriaki Psara & Christina Papadimitriou & Marily Efstratiadi & Sotiris Tsakanikas & Panos Papadopoulos & Paul Tobin, 2022. "European Energy Regulatory, Socioeconomic, and Organizational Aspects: An Analysis of Barriers Related to Data-Driven Services across Electricity Sectors," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-25, March.
    5. Cunha, Paulo & Neves, Sónia Almeida & Marques, António Cardoso & Serrasqueiro, Zélia, 2020. "Adoption of energy efficiency measures in the buildings of micro-, small- and medium-sized Portuguese enterprises11The financial support of the NECE - Research Unit in Business Science and Economics, ," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    6. Schubert, Torben & Breitschopf, Barbara & Plötz, Patrick, 2021. "Energy efficiency and the direct and indirect effects of energy audits and implementation support programmes in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    7. Lopion, Peter & Markewitz, Peter & Robinius, Martin & Stolten, Detlef, 2018. "A review of current challenges and trends in energy systems modeling," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 156-166.
    8. Schleich, Joachim & Faure, Corinne & Guetlein, Marie-Charlotte & Tu, Gengyang, 2019. "Conveyance and the moderating effect of envy on homeowners' choice of appliances," Working Papers "Sustainability and Innovation" S06/2019, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI).
    9. Schleich, Joachim & Fleiter, Tobias, 2019. "Effectiveness of energy audits in small business organizations," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 59-70.
    10. Ángeles Longarela-Ares & Anxo Calvo-Silvosa & José-Benito Pérez-López, 2020. "The Influence of Economic Barriers and Drivers on Energy Efficiency Investments in Maritime Shipping, from the Perspective of the Principal-Agent Problem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-42, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Energy efficiency; Barriers; Agency; Absorptive capacity; Adoption; SMEs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q40 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - General
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices

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