Behavioural experiments for energy efficiency habits in new Horizon 2020 project

(2 Oct 2020) A new project called NUDGE, funded by the European Horizon 2020 programme, aims to study, test and evaluate different behavioural interventions for energy efficiency in Greece, Belgium, Germany, Portugal and Croatia.

Reducing energy consumption demands behavioural changes – from the way we use our heating and electric appliances to the way we cater. Recent studies and social engagement practices have identified ways to influence behaviour through nudging interventions to support people’s behavioural choices in a predictable manner.

Even though nudging techniques have been considered in the energy sector, our understanding of their potential application is still limited, according to IEECP, one of the NUDGE project partners.

NUDGE is set up to analyse people’s behaviour, and to design and test nudging interventions in households, energy communities, and schools in the five selected Members States.  The interventions are rooted in principles of behavioural science, and the field of application is energy efficiency which, according to IEECP, will increase the comfort of the participants.

Most of the research and experimentation is focused on the design of policies and the formulation of recommendations specific to each country. For instance, interventions include an interdisciplinary project-based education on home energy consumption for children in Belgium, where children will be educated in understanding the impact of everyday life decisions on home energy consumption. Electricity smart-meters will be installed at the children households and schools, with a dashboard to visualize the collected consumption data. The social comparison with the households of classmates will be one of the nudging interventions.

More information can be found here