Homeowners' motivation for applying energy saving measures: unknown makes unloved

Sustainability is an important issue with the increasing gashouse emissions and resource depletion nowadays. The current residential building stock plays a pivotal role in creating a more sustainable world. Increasing the energy efficiency of historical dwellings, which are defined as dwellings built in or before 1974, would decrease unfavourable effects on the environment. Homeowners of historical dwellings can together significantly increase energy efficiency by applying energy saving measures, but the application of these is still lacking behind compared to expectations. Motivations of homeowners for applying energy saving measures are essential in understanding behaviour and increasing the application of energy saving measures. Namely, motivation is a forerunner to action, the reason why people act and make certain decisions. Since literature does not distinguish motivations for different energy saving measures or for different kind of homeowners, this research aimed to explore the motivations of homeowners with these distinctions. Additionally, it aimed to explore recommendations for a national prospective research, such as WoON and to develop several policy recommendations since policies do not yet consider motivations and thus might be ineffective.
This research has used a quantitative approach with descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The motivations of homeowners were explored by means of an online questionnaire that addressed homeowners of historical dwellings in Slotermeer, Slotervaart (Amsterdam), Mariahoeve (Den Haag) and Ommoord (Rotterdam). Six energy saving measures were defined for this research based on the definite energy label; glazing, insulation, ventilation system, heating system, extra tap water system and sustainable energy options. Motivations were separated in underlying factors that unconsciously influence the decision-making process of homeowners and conscious reasons that were consciously mentioned by homeowners. Based on significant differences on the energy performance and proactivity of homeowners (number of applied measures), underlying factors were explored. Conscious reasons were explored for energy saving measures in general, per energy saving measure, for three categories of homeowners based on the energy performance of their dwelling and nine categories based on the proactivity of the homeowner and the energy performance of their dwelling. Together, underlying factors and conscious reasons form the motivation of homeowners of historical dwellings for the application of energy saving measures.
Underlying factors identified in this research are building typology, building sub-typology, construction year, neighbourhood and energy label of the dwelling and age, energy consciousness, the role of appearance in the decision-making process and expected energy label of homeowners. Apart from underlying factors, also several conscious reasons were explored in this research, which are defined as drivers and barriers. In general, homeowners are motivated for the application of energy saving measures by necessary maintenance and inhibited by an assumed lack of benefits. However, major drivers and barriers do differ between energy saving measures since necessary maintenance is only the most often mentioned driver for the application of heating systems and extra tap water systems. Major drivers for other energy saving measures are comfort and cost savings, while environmental saving is not a major driver for any of the energy saving measures. Additionally, the VvE and a lack of financial resources are also major barriers besides an assumed lack of benefits. Furthermore, conscious reasons are related to the proactivity of a homeowner and the energy performance of their dwelling since major drivers and barriers differ. Homeowners of a dwelling with a low energy performance and average proactive homeowners more often mention the VvE as barrier and homeowners of a dwelling with a high energy performance more often mention the applicability as barrier.
These results provided opportunities for a larger national research, such as a follow-up research in the sequence of WoON, with an improved methodology based on limitations of this research. Additionally, it explicated several new research fields such as an exploration of the affect of authority levels, such as the VvE on the decision-making process of homeowners or the correlation between cultural value and the application of energy saving measures. Based on findings of this research, policies can be more effective by considering homeowners’ motivation in the development process of policies instead of just providing financial incentives or promoting environmental saving since this will nor be effective for all energy saving measures nor for all kind of homeowners. The assumed lack of benefits, which is a major barrier, could be overcome by clearly identifying benefits of energy saving measures that are defined by homeowners. Furthermore, categorizing homeowners according to their proactivity and the energy performance of their dwelling could lead to more effective and customized policies that overcome barriers and promote opportunities and benefits for the application of energy saving measures. More effective policies could motivate homeowners that together can increase the energy efficiency of Dutch cities and decrease unfavourable effects on the environment.