Date
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Time
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Name
Messaging Comprehensive Retrofits
Session ID BECC
A6 - Lightning: Segmentation and Targeted Messaging
Track
Social Science Insights
Grace Lewallen
Description

The energy benefits of comprehensive retrofits (CRs) are greater than the sum of their parts, but homeowners rarely invest in multiple measures. One-off home energy upgrades can help reduce residential energy use, but combining multiple retrofit measures together can have exponential impacts. Although Inflation Reduction Act financial incentive programs lower the financial barriers to comprehensive retrofits, cost may not be the only issue. In this presentation, we discuss new research on strategies for increasing CR adoption. We build on previous work exploring behavioral aspects of รก la carte home energy upgrades to determine what homeowners find most attractive within a comprehensive retrofit bundle. Using data from both an original survey and a discrete choice experiment, we test which message framing strategies and CR bundle compositions homeowners prefer. Based on these results, we present actionable recommendations for state energy offices, assessors, and contractors on how to implement IRA programs and discuss optimal ways of staging retrofits, structuring product offerings, and marketing whole-home and comprehensive energy retrofits to maximize homeowner uptake. These recommendations will help states strengthen and shape strategic investments in the electrification and energy efficiency improvements of existing homes in LMI communities, critical for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieving climate action goals.

Supporting Document 1