Behavioral foundations of Technology Adoption: Bridging the Energy-Efficiency gap (BeTA-BEE)
BeTA-BEE, investigates why people are not adopting energy-efficient technologies in their homes, despite the potential for significant cost savings and environmental benefits. Current theories cannot explain this gap. Combining two cutting-edge approaches, machine learning and field experiments, we will estimate the impact of non-monetary factors and behavioral barriers on investment decisions.
Despite the potential for financial savings and environmental benefits, consumers are reluctant to embrace energy-efficient solutions. This phenomenon persists even as global energy demand is projected to surge by 47% by 2050.
This highlights the need for us to consume energy more efficiently – and thus limit greenhouse gas emissions, says Christina Gravert, Associate Professor at the Department of Economics and the Center for Economic Behaviour and Inequality (CEBI).
The team wants to uncover the hidden factors that influence our approach to new energy-saving technology. This knowledge is crucial to accelerate the necessary energy savings and combat climate change.
The research will concentrate on the building sector, which accounts for 31% of global CO2 emissions. PI Christina Gravert explains: "We will explore the behavioural barriers behind the so-called energy-efficiency gap and the slow renovation rates. Using innovative methods, we will uncover why the transition to energy-efficient technologies is happening so slowly that we cannot meet urgent climate needs."
The team will employ cutting-edge techniques. They will apply machine learning to Danish administrative data on energy certificates, buildings, and smart meters, conduct nationwide surveys and field trials, and estimate the impact of non-economic factors and behavioral barriers on household energy investments.
Researchers
| Name | Title | Job responsibilities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christina Gravert | Associate Professor | Behavioral Economics; Experimental Economics; Public Policy; Nudging; Incentives and Behavior Change |
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