We use an experiment to test whether consumers optimally acquire information on energy costs in appliance markets where, like many contexts, consumers are poorly informed and make mistakes despite freely available information. To test for optimal information acquisition we compare the average...

Imperfect information and inattention to energy costs are important potential motivations for energy efficiency standards and subsidies. We evaluate these motivations in the lightbulb market using a theoretical model and two randomized experiments. We derive welfare effects as functions of...

A large body of literature shows that the provision of social comparisons can cause households to reduce residential energy and water use. In this paper, we carry out a field experiment that contributes to this literature in two important ways. First, we study a social comparison treatment that...

Information provision is a key element of government energy-efficiency policy, but the information that is provided is often too coarse to allow consumers to make efficient decisions. An important example is the ubiquitous yellow “EnergyGuide” label, which is required by law to be displayed...

The paper reports the results of evaluating the hourly impact of a behavioral intervention tested in a randomized controlled trial. Under the program, a randomly selected group of households in Alberta was provided visual information on their home heat loss. I find that the households conserve...

Various energy investments are possible in residential buildings. Owners' opportunities are moreover extending with smart technologies and optimisation options, as well as with the rise of collective investment projects. In this context, we investigate owners' investment decisions by conducting...

Complexity within the decision-making process can inhibit energy investment for residential buildings. In this paper, we explore effects of complexity on investment behaviour, as well as the impact of experience with similar investments and of subsidies as a promoting policy tool. To shed light...

The split incentive problem leads to under-investment in energy improvements of rental buildings. This prevents the large CO2 savings potential from being achieved and leads to disadvantages for tenants. New investment opportunities and a willingness of tenants to pay for investments made by the...

Little is known about the effect of message framing on conservation behavior over time. In a randomized controlled trial with residential households, we use advanced metering and information technologies to test how different messages about household energy use impact the dynamics of...

To overcome the inefficiency in household energy use, energy labels with a grade-like categorical efficiency rating-scale are widely used across the globe. However, presenting energy efficiency information in categories has been found to induce heuristic rather than rational decision-making,...