Christina Gravert receives Carlsberg’s Semper Ardens Accelerate grant
Behavioral foundations of Technology Adoption: Bridging the Energy-Efficiency gap (BeTA-BEE)
The research project, BeTA-BEE, investigates why people aren't adopting energy-efficient technologies in their homes, despite the potential for significant cost savings and environmental benefits. We're focusing on energy efficiency in buildings, which account for about 31% of global CO2 emissions. Using innovative methods, we'll explore the behavioral barriers that contribute to this "energy-efficiency gap" and why current renovation rates are far below what's needed.
Global energy demand is projected to increase by 47% by 2050, making energy efficiency crucial for transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Despite enormous policy efforts and billions of government resources spent, the adoption of energy-efficient technology in households has been disappointingly low. Their research aims to uncover the hidden factors influencing people's decisions, providing vital insights for policymakers and helping to accelerate urgent energy savings in the fight against climate change.
They will combine two cutting-edge approaches: machine learning and field experiments. Using Danish administrative data, they will identify key predictors of technology adoption. Through surveys and randomized controlled trials, they will estimate the impact of non-monetary factors and behavioral barriers on investment decisions. Collaborating with government agencies and municipalities, we will test behavioral interventions to encourage e.g. heat pump installations, providing actionable insights for effective energy efficiency policies.
You can read more about the research project here