Are Dutch residents ready for a more stringent policy to enhance the energy performance of their homes?

Investments in the energy performance of houses offer good prospects for reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions. However, people are not easily convinced of the need to take measures to improve the energy performance of their houses, even when financial benefits outweigh the costs. This artic...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy policy 2017-06, Vol.105, p.269-282
Main Authors: van Middelkoop, Manon, Vringer, Kees, Visser, Hans
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Appliance industry
Autonomy
Buildings
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide emissions
Certificates
Clearing houses
Cooling
Cost benefit analysis
Decision analysis
Decision makers
Energy
Energy conservation policy
Energy consumption
Energy efficiency
Energy performance
Energy policy
Government policy
Households
Houses
Housing
Insulation
Investments
Owners
Policy instruments
Prospects
Refrigerators
Residential areas
Residential buildings
Residential energy
Residents
Taxation
Tenants
The Netherlands
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Investments in the energy performance of houses offer good prospects for reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions. However, people are not easily convinced of the need to take measures to improve the energy performance of their houses, even when financial benefits outweigh the costs. This article analyses the factors that influence the decision for improving the energy performance of existing homes, including policy instruments. Subsequently, the article provides policy suggestions on how to stimulate energy performance improvements. Both owners and tenants (50–70%) support government policy on energy performance improvements to existing homes. Nevertheless, people also have strong feelings of autonomy regarding their homes. Our results underline the importance of well-informed and competent decision-makers. Introducing the use of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) into the tax system for energy and residential buildings might therefore be an effective way to increase the interest of owners in the EPC, improve the use and effect of this informative instrument, and make the first step towards bridging the tension between autonomy and more stringent instruments.
ISSN:0301-4215
1873-6777
DOI:10.1016/j.enpol.2017.02.050