Home energy use behaviour: a necessary component of successful local government home energy conservation (LGHEC) programs

Abstract

Local governments around Australia are beginning to develop programs to encourage home energy conservation. This paper seeks to demonstrate that householder energy use behaviour has an important influence on home energy consumption, and as such should be addressed in local government home energy conservation programs. However, while US and European research has been able to measure the influence of behaviour on household energy consumption, to date Australian research has been unable to do so. It is suggested that this is due largely to relying on self reports of behaviour. The paper concludes by briefly reviewing behaviour modification techniques that have resulted in reductions in home energy use, and suggests that local government home energy conservation programs should include such program elements if they are to achieve maximum reductions in home energy consumption.