Feedback as an Energy Conservation Strategy

Abstract

A great deal of psychological research has suggested that giving immediate feedback to an individual on the effects of his actions enables him better to control his actions. The application of this idea to the reduction of energy consumption is clear. In general homeowners are motivated by cost and other pressures to reduce their home energy consumption. Therefore, if they are given daily feedback on their actual energy consumption, this ought to enable them to better control their consumption rates. Why should feedback have this effect? First, since most homeowners are unaware of the amount of energy they use (the monthly utility bill is not clear or detailed enough to be very helpful), feedback provides information about energy usage. Second, frequent feedback indicates the success of various attempted conservation strategies; it can lead the homeowner to discover and to maintain conservation habits.