Tools for influencing efficiency investments

This Tool group offers you advice on tools for promoting energy efficiency investments:

  • Emotional appeals for efficiency investments
  • Rational appeals for efficiency investments
  • Support and services for efficiency investments
  • Transparent and understandable information
  • Trust and confidence for efficiency investments

Click on the headings below to read more about the tools that are relevant for you.

Emotional appeals for efficiency investments

Efficiency investment behaviours are usually more rationally based than habitual behaviours, because they involve more information processing. However, we know that most purchasing behaviours are not purely rational. Rational arguments are needed to justify the purchase, but the true motivation is rarely based purely on calculation.  

Emotional appeals can be positive or negative:

 

Rational appeals for efficiency investments

Rational appeals should be presented in a way that is relevant for your target group. Their rationality is not necessarily the same as yours. Many households and businesses require short payback periods (e.g., 3-5 years) for energy efficiency investments and rarely calculate the long-term value of investments (e.g. internal rate of return, net present value).

 

Support and services for efficiency investments

Energy investments can be complex, and the lack of suitable support and service providers can be a major obstacle for your target group. Some service providers may not be so reliable or there may be rumours around about unsuccessful renovations. Providing a network of reliable, certified and honest service providers can be an important trigger that helps people out of their inertia and confusion.

 

Provide transparent and understandable information

People in general know fairly little about their energy use. They also rarely know a lot about alternative solutions. Thus, the information that is most useful for you may not be the most useful for your target group. Providing huge amounts of information can be confusing.

 

Trust and confidence for efficiency investments

The larger the investment, the more people want to make sure they are making the right choice. There are often rumours around that berate energy efficient products. When people feel uncertain, they are more likely to follow the lead of others, especially people similar to themselves.