The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) surveyed 1,500 U.S. homeowners to understand what home energy upgrades are of interest. To get homeowners interested, ACEEE recommends that state energy offices, utilities and others should consider the audience, messages, strategies and packages.
These comprehensive renovations are “designed to achieve at least a 20% reduction in household energy consumption,” with energy and bill savings top of mind. These upgrades can be expensive, so ACEEE’s “Messaging Comprehensive Retrofits” report released this month answered the question of how to convince homeowners it is a good idea.
Compared to smaller energy-efficiency improvements, comprehensive energy retrofits deliver more savings long-term, but have a higher upfront price tag. ACEEE found that homeowners seemed to prefer retrofit packages including heating and cooling upgrades (7% increased preference), water heater upgrades (22% increased preference) and appliance upgrades (5% increased preference).
Of the 1,500 homeowners surveyed, 65% reported they would be able to invest $1,000 in energy upgrades. Those in this group tended to fit into these demographics: moderate-to-high income earners, college educated, live in homes between 2,001 and 2,500 square feet, have lived in their home for 6-10 years, have no children in the home, and either own or are considering buying an electric vehicle, according to ACEEE.
However, funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, rebates and other tax incentives could be an avenue for low-income households to take on these comprehensive energy retrofits.
So how can someone get homeowners interested in upgrades? First, ACEEE recommends tailoring packages to certain demographics. Rooftop solar, EV chargers and more will necessitate an electrical contractor’s expertise. Seventeen percent of those surveyed indicated they were interested in EV and solar installations.
Talking to homeowners after they buy a new house or need to replace a system such as HVAC is another tactic that may be helpful.
About The Author
Holly Sauer
Senior Associate EditorHolly Sauer has worked for Electrical Contractor magazine since 2019 and is the senior associate editor. She went to Washington & Jefferson College and studied English and art history. At Electrical Contractor magazine, she creates the newsletters and the new and featured products sections. She also edits articles for the three publications and occasionally writes on tools and industry news. She is fueled by the desire to read every book ever written. And coffee. Reach her on LinkedIn or at [email protected].
