Innovations to reduce residential energy use and carbon emissions: An integrated approach

Research in energy sustainability is gaining renewed priority because of the growing importance of climate-change issues and the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by many countries. Increased energy efficiency and substitution of less carbon-intensive fuels are proposed as the principal means to reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions and associated climate change. The residential sector is an important area for improvement, as it accounts for 22 percent of global energy consumption. This paper illustrates the integration of four dimensions of energy issues within a single community study in Waterloo Region, Canada. First, it overcomes the limitations of single-discipline approaches to energy studies by recognizing the importance of social context in measuring the potential to reduce energy consumption. The 'sociotechnical' potential to reduce residential consumption by 25 percent is lower in our analysis than traditional measures of the technical potential, but is considered more achievable. Second, the paper examines how community-based implementation can enhance the effectiveness of a national energy efficiency program (EnerGuide for Houses, or ECH). Controlled marketing experiments demonstrated higher response rates for materials highlighting local partners. Third, the paper outlines how the local capacity developed by diverse stakeholders (city councils, regional government, federal government agencies, local utilities, local businesses, environmental nongovernmental organizations and the local university) was an important means of overcoming many of the barriers to taking action. Fourth, the paper details the examination of issues of energy efficiency and fuel substitution through a survey of residents' attitudes and comparison to behaviour. For example, stated 'willingness to pay' was compared to the actual sign-up rate for the first introduction of 'green' electricity in the Ontario residential market. The integration of these four dimensions in a single study offers a framework that can be reviewed and adapted to meet the needs of other projects.