Abstract

As the energy efficiency community has shifted from a demand-side management to a market transformation paradigm, renewed interest has emerged in techniques (both research and programmatic) that target the way that people think and act on issues related to energy consumption. Over the last 5 years, program implementers have increasingly sought to understand and influence energy-related attitudes and behavior. This has lead to an increase in interest in and use of mass communication and public education strategies to promote energy efficiency. This report gathers and compares recent research done for communications campaigns as well as public opinion poll data related to energy efficiency. Commonalities and differences in methods and findings are drawn out along with implications for future work. For background and context, the report also summarizes key elements of each campaign as well as their use of research.

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64 pp., 2001, $16.00, A013