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The influence of energy audits on the energy efficiency investments of private owner-occupied households in the Netherlands

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  • Murphy, Lorraine

Abstract

Energy audits are promoted as an effective tool to drive investment in energy efficiency measures in the residential sector. Despite operating in many countries for several decades details of the impact of audits are mixed. The aim of research presented here is to explore the role of audits on investment in energy efficiency measures by private owner-occupied householders in the Netherlands. Results showed that the main influence of the energy audit was to confirm information held by householders. A significant portion of audit recommendations was ignored, the main reason being that householders considered their dwellings to be adequately energy efficient. A comparison of audit recipients to non-recipients showed that audit recipients did not adopt, plan to adopt or invest in more energy efficiency measures than non-recipients. In fact non-recipients adopted more and invested more in measures. It is concluded that energy based renovation is driven by householder perception of comfort and acceptable outlay on energy bills and not necessarily to expert technical tailored information on the potential to reduce CO2 emissions and environmental impact. Results support arguments for minimum energy efficiency standards and performance based incentives.

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  • Murphy, Lorraine, 2014. "The influence of energy audits on the energy efficiency investments of private owner-occupied households in the Netherlands," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 398-407.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:65:y:2014:i:c:p:398-407
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.10.016
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    Cited by:

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    3. Brutscher, Philipp-Bastian & Ravillard, Pauline, 2019. "Promoting energy audits: Results from an experiment," EIB Working Papers 2019/06, European Investment Bank (EIB).
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    5. Louis-Gaëtan Giraudet & Sébastien Houde & Joseph Maher, 2018. "Moral Hazard and the Energy Efficiency Gap: Theory and Evidence," Working Papers hal-01420872, HAL.
    6. Balogh, P. & Bai, A. & Popp, J. & Huzsvai, L. & Jobbágy, P., 2015. "Internet-orientated Hungarian car drivers’ knowledge and attitudes towards biofuels," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 17-26.
    7. Palmer, Karen & Walls, Margaret & O'Keeffe, Lucy, "undated". "Putting Information into Action: What Explains Follow-up on Home Energy Audits?," RFF Working Paper Series dp-15-34, Resources for the Future.
    8. Louis-Gaëtan Giraudet & Sébastien Houde & Joseph Maher, 2018. "Moral Hazard and the Energy Efficiency Gap: Theory and Evidence," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(4), pages 755-790.
    9. Weigert, Andreas & Hopf, Konstantin & Günther, Sebastian A. & Staake, Thorsten, 2022. "Heat pump inspections result in large energy savings when a pre-selection of households is performed: A promising use case of smart meter data," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    10. Louis-Gaëtan Giraudet, 2018. "Energy efficiency as a credence good: A review of informational barriers to building energy savings," Policy Papers 2018.04, FAERE - French Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.
    11. Ringel, Marc & Schlomann, Barbara & Krail, Michael & Rohde, Clemens, 2016. "Towards a green economy in Germany? The role of energy efficiency policies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1293-1303.
    12. Broberg, Thomas & Egüez, Alejandro & Kažukauskas, Andrius, 2019. "Effects of energy performance certificates on investment: A quasi-natural experiment approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    13. Alex Gonzalez Caceres, 2018. "Shortcomings and Suggestions to the EPC Recommendation List of Measures: In-Depth Interviews in Six Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-14, September.
    14. Baldini, Mattia & Trivella, Alessio & Wente, Jordan William, 2018. "The impact of socioeconomic and behavioural factors for purchasing energy efficient household appliances: A case study for Denmark," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 503-513.
    15. Schlindwein, L.F. & Montalvo, C., 2023. "Energy citizenship: Accounting for the heterogeneity of human behaviours within energy transition," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    16. Singhal, Puja & Pahle, Michael & Kalkuhl, Matthias & Levesque, Antoine & Sommer, Stephan & Berneiser, Jessica, 2022. "Beyond good faith: Why evidence-based policy is necessary to decarbonize buildings cost-effectively in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    17. Morton, Craig & Wilson, Charlie & Anable, Jillian, 2018. "The diffusion of domestic energy efficiency policies: A spatial perspective," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 77-88.
    18. Giraudet, Louis-Gaëtan, 2020. "Energy efficiency as a credence good: A review of informational barriers to energy savings in the building sector," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    19. Feser, Daniel & Bizer, Kilian & Rudolph-Cleff, Annette & Schulze, Joachim, 2016. "Energy audits in a private firm environment: Energy efficiency consultants' cost calculation for innovative technologies in the housing sector," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 275, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    20. Jovović, Ivana & Cirman, Andreja & Hrovatin, Nevenka & Zorić, Jelena, 2023. "Do social capital and housing-related lifestyle foster energy-efficient retrofits? Retrospective panel data evidence from Slovenia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    21. Schleich, Joachim & Fleiter, Tobias, 2019. "Effectiveness of energy audits in small business organizations," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 59-70.

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