Practical and tailored information can increase the impact of the energy label
The impact that the energy label has on homeowners decisions to buy and renovate dwellings is currently limited. However, more tailored information can help increase the impact of energy labels. Households need practical and tailored information about energy saving in their own dwelling. This is the outcome of a European study led by ECN. Questionnaires and interviews were held in ten countries to find out what kind of impact the energy label for dwellings has on the decisions made by homeowners.
Energy label plays a limited role in purchase and improvement of dwelling
The energy label plays only a very limited role in the purchase of a dwelling. Although the label officially needs to be available when a dwelling is sold, most of the persons selling their houses in the Netherlands have not arranged such a label. And in most cases where such a label is present, it is often not handed over until the contract is actually signed. The influence of the energy label can be improved if the advertisement of a house shows which label the dwelling has. European legislation to make this happen is currently awaiting approval by the Dutch Lower Chamber.
The influence of energy labels appears to be larger in case of home improvement. Most people do not remember all the information on the label, but homeowners who are more aware of the recommendations on the label often take more energy saving measures in their dwelling.
Energy cost less important in the Netherlands
Compared to households in Germany, Denmark, England and Finland, Dutch households attach less importance to energy costs when purchasing a house, despite the fact that the energy costs in these countries are comparable to the Netherlands. 44 percent of the interviewed Dutch persons consider this to be important compared to an average 60 percent in other countries. However, in all countries addressed in the survey, the price, location and size of a dwelling turned out to be decisive.
Dutch people have less confidence in energy label compared to other countries
The fact that the energy label immediately received negative publicity upon implementation appears to have affected the confidence in the label. Only 31 percent of the Dutch homeowners who were interviewed indicated that they consider the energy label a reliable source of information. In other countries such as Denmark this was more than 50 percent. Both in the Netherlands and in other countries, friends and family are considered to be the most reliable source of information about energy saving.
Practical information needed about financing and professionals
Both the confidence in and the use of the energy label can increase if the information on the label becomes more tailored to the individual needs of the homeowner. Users of the label need reliable information about the cost of energy and the savings that can be realised in their dwelling. Rather than indicating average theoretical values, the information on the label should link up to the actual energy bill of the household. Moreover, homeowners would like to have practical information about where energy saving measures can be realised, who can help them realise the measures and on subsidy schemes. Tailored information is becoming increasingly available in the Netherlands. Linking the energy label to information on websites such as ‘Meer met Minder’, NLAgency and Milieucentraal could help households in taking energy saving measures.
Energy label
The energy label was implemented in all countries of the European Union between 2006 and 2009 with the aim of informing buyers and new tenants of dwellings about the energy use of the dwelling and the options for saving energy.
More information:
www.ideal-epbd.eu
Key findings & recommendations:
http://www.ecn.nl/publicaties/ECN-O--11-083
http://www.ideal-epbd.eu/download/pap/Final_WP6_report_findings_recommendations.pdf
