We will start by briefly presenting what has been found in scientific studies on how visibility can affect adoption of energy efficiency behaviour. We will also discuss how observational learning is used in other types of behaviour.
The next part of the session will be for the participants to provide their own thoughts and experiences on the topic. First, participants will be asked to brainstorm existing energy-related policies that may be influenced by visibility. For instance, intentional exposure of energy efficient houses could increase acceptance and interest in the efficiency measures. On the other hand, there could also be negative effects of visibility, like when the technology is considered to be visually unappealing and thus disliked.
The next step will be to brainstorm potential ways to make use of visibility to promote energy efficiency behaviour. We would ask the participants to discuss in groups the different aspects of such policy interventions including the stakeholders involved, regulatory aspects, cost and benefits, and expected results.
Sprekers
Han Kyul Yoo is a PhD student in Urban Economics at Wageningen University, simultaneously working on the Horizon 2020 Smart BEEjS project and collaborating with the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions. Her main areas of interest are in household energy efficiency behaviour, specifically on how visibility transfers information between households and changes perception.
Michel Handgraaf is Associate prof. at Urban Economics in Wageningen and Research fellow at the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions. His main areas of (mostly experimental) research are the psychological aspects of economic, ethical and environmental decision-making by individuals and groups. At the AMS Institute he helps to implement scientific knowledge about behavior into innovative projects in the field.