Adoption of Innovative Energy Facilities in the Tertiary Sector Buildings: Exploring Interdependencies and Key Drivers

Abstract

Innovative energy facilities, such as solar panels, heat pumps, and smart control ventilation, offer substantial opportunities to improve energy efficiency and environmental performance in the tertiary sector, aligning with green building objectives. This study aims to identify the key factors influencing the adoption of these facilities by small and medium-sized enterprise owners in the tertiary sector and to explore the interdependencies among them. To achieve this, we employed a stated choice experiment to assess preferences and decision-making by presenting respondents with multiple hypothetical scenarios, each containing alternatives described by varying attributes. A simultaneous equation model was used to analyze the key drivers of adoption and the interrelationships among these facilities. The results reveal that cost-related attributes and government incentives significantly impact the acceptance of energy facilities. Notably, while environmental responsibility is slightly associated with solar panel adoption, it shows no significant link with heat pumps or ventilation systems. Furthermore, we identified a bi-directional relationship between the adoption of solar panels and heat pumps, suggesting that acceptance of one positively influences the other. Conversely, a unidirectional relationship exists between ventilation and solar panels, where the adoption of ventilation positively influences solar panel adoption, but not the other way around. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of decision-making processes in green building projects and provide valuable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders aiming to promote sustainable energy solutions in the tertiary sector.