Clients As a Resource in Energy Education

1
Clients As a Resource in Energy Education
Jackie Berger David Carroll 2004 Affordable
Comfort April 28, 2004
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Purpose of Session

• Conceptual What is the realistic potential
  associated with energy education?
• Evaluative What have we found in our program
  evaluations?
• Exploratory Can we improve measurement of
  energy education impacts and the delivery of
  energy education at the same time?

3
Organization of Session

• PART 1 Framework David 15 minutes
• PART 2 Findings Jackie 50 minutes
• PART 3 Instrument David 15 minutes
• WRAP-UP Feedback 15 minutes
• ASK QUESTIONS ANY TIME

4
Status of Energy Education

• New funds are being invested in low-income usage
  reduction programs
• Energy education is an important part of many new
  and existing programs
• Many field staff still doubt the potential for
  energy education
• Evaluations find program barriers and mixed
  results

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Energy Education Assumptions

• Behavioral changes can reduce energy usage and
  energy bills
• We can teach individuals how to change behavior
• We can motivate individuals to change behavior
• We can identify the changes that will lower bills
  and provide reinforcement

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Evidence of Behavior Impacts

• National Statistics - RECS
• 1997 compared to 2001
• 22 increase in prices
• 8 reduction in heating degree days
• 16 reduction in energy consumption
• Change by Income Group
• Lowest income group 16
• Other income groups 15, 20, 17

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Evidence (continued)

• NMPC Power Partnerships Evaluation showed 10
  incremental gas savings and 3 incremental
  electric savings from education
• Ohio PIPP clients were alert to potential
  savings on summer bills
• California 12 reduction in electricity usage
  resulting from a number of initiatives in
  2000-2001

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Other Ways Education Works

• Awareness of measures
• Support of measures
• Improvement of auditor diagnostics

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Evaluation Information Objectives

• Are education procedures followed?
• What are the barriers to following prescribed
  procedures?
• How can procedures be improved?
• How can implementation be improved?
• What is the impact of education?

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Evaluation Activities

1. Interviews with program managers and designers
2. Interviews with service providers
3. Observation of education training
4. Observation in the field
5. Client interviews
6. Impact analysis

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NJ Comfort PartnersProgram Background

• Comprehensive usage reduction program managed by
  7 electric and gas utilities
• Addresses electric, gas, and fuel oil usage
• Protocols developed from best practices of
  previous individual utility programs
• 98 of homes served by one large contractor
• Households under 175 of poverty are eligible

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NJ Comfort PartnersEducation Protocols

• Partnership model
• Initiate partnership when first contact is made
• Explain the program
• Confirm the partnership in the home
• Benefits to each partner
• Responsibilities of each partner
• Sign the partnership agreement form
• Information gathering
• Familys needs, wants, behaviors
• Review of customers bills

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NJ Comfort PartnersEducation Protocols
(continued)

• House tour
• Identify measure installation opportunities
• Determine usage habits
• Install qualifying measures
• Calculate current costs and projected costs with
  energy savings
• Review options for measures and actions
• Make decisions and complete Partnership Agreement
  Action Plan
• Follow up on responsibilities

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NJ Comfort PartnersEducation Materials

• Education Notebook and Note cards
• Partnership Agreement Form
• Action Plan

Reduce Costs of Actions/Measures Estimated Annual Savings Electricity Gas Estimated Annual Savings Electricity Gas
Home heating Home cooling Water heating Appliances Lighting Other
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NJ Comfort PartnersBarriers

• New program
• Utilities ordered to implement program in two
  months
• Education training could not be scheduled
  immediately
• Uncertainty of future program administration
• Training funds are limited

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NJ Comfort PartnersObservation Findings

• Partnership agreement
• Auditors did not consistently explain the
  partnership agreement at the beginning of the
  visit
• Many did not mention a partnership until the end
  of the visit
• Energy education notebook
• Many did not use at all

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NJ Comfort PartnersObservation Findings

• Explain what visit would entail
• Many did not describe what would be done.
• Review and explain bills
• Auditors did not consistently review bills.
• Co-developing an action plan
• Auditors did not consistently work with customers
  to determine actions the customer was willing to
  take to reduce usage

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NJ Comfort PartnersObservation Findings

• Co-developing an action plan
• Many auditors did a good job explaining work and
  potential actions during walkthrough
• Some auditors did not recommend actions during
  the walkthrough
• Some auditors did not tailor recommendations to
  the customers behavior and home
• Auditors did not consistently reinforce
  recommended actions at the end of the visit
• Some auditors did not record actions that the
  customers agreed to

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NJ Comfort PartnersObservation Findings

• Co-developing an action plan
• Most auditors did not use the action form
• Auditors did not provide estimates of cost
  savings
• Summary and Review
• Auditors did not consistently review work done in
  the home, and actions that customer had committed
  to.
• Auditors did not reinforce the importance of the
  customers role in the partnership and in
  reducing energy usage

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NJ Comfort PartnersClient Interview Findings

• Understanding of the Program

Yes, I understand the Comfort Partners Program 92
Yes, I understand the Partnership 60
The service providers responsibility is to reduce energy usage or energy bills 30
The customers responsibility is to reduce energy usage or follow recommendations 30
The benefit of the program is reduced energy usage or bills 40
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NJ Comfort PartnersClient Interview Findings

• Customer Motivation

Energy bill is not affordable 26
It is somewhat or very difficult to pay energy bills 76
Reducing bills is a benefit of saving energy 71
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NJ Comfort PartnersClient Interview Findings

• Education Provided

Energy bill was explained 52
Written list of actions was provided 42
Estimate of savings from actions was provided 26
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NJ Comfort PartnersClient Interview Findings

• Recall of Energy Saving Actions

Agreed to Taken
Turn off lights 9 4
Reduce temperature 5 3
Use CFLs 4 3
Conserve energy 4 1
Reduce AC use 4 2
Close doors/windows 2 1
Set back heat at night/when out 2 lt1
Turn down hot water temperature 2 lt1
None 74 78
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NJ Comfort PartnersClient Interview Findings

• Reduced End Uses

Hot Water 48
Air Conditioning 45
Dryer 36
Dishwasher 19
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NJ Comfort PartnersClient Interview Findings

• Percent with actions expected to reduce energy
  use

At least 1 non-prompted action 17
One or more reduced end uses (prompted) 77
One or more reduced end uses and associated action 66
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NJ Comfort PartnersSummary

• Well-developed education protocols
• Excellent education materials
• Many barriers to implementation
• Inconsistent implementation
• Education not tailored to individual client
• Reflected in client interviews
• Improvement recently seen

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Ohio Electric Partnership Program Background

• Electric usage reduction program managed by Ohio
  Office of Energy Efficiency
• 18 authorized providers in first year
• Reduced to 9 in second year
• Providers are CBOs and one private contractor
• Some agencies have several sub-agencies
• Electric PIPP customers are targeted for service
  delivery

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Ohio Electric Partnership Program Background

• OEE receives electric usage data from utilities
  each quarter
• Based on usage thresholds, they target clients
  for
• High use baseload services (gt8,000 kWh baseload
  usage)
• Moderate use baseload services (4,000-6,000 kWh
  baseload usage)
• Weatherization services (gt8,000 kWh heating or
  cooling usage)

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Ohio Electric Partnership Program Background

• Auditor uses a PDA to collect information on all
  electric uses in the home
• Auditor matches total use calculated in home with
  usage on customers bills
• Auditor identifies cost-effective measures for
  installation
• Measures include refrigerators, freezers, light
  bulbs, aerators, showerheads, water heater wraps
• Fuel switches and custom measures recently
  introduced

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Ohio Electric Partnership Education Protocols

• Introduction
• Purpose of visit
• Program overview and steps
• Partnership agreement
• Usage analysis
• Review customers bill
• Explain baseload versus heating/cooling usage

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Ohio Electric Partnership Education Protocols

• Energy tour
• Review biggest electric uses
• Estimate costs per appliance
• List suggested actions
• Action plan
• Review list of suggested actions
• Obtain commitment for 3-5 actions
• Complete energy savings actions plan
• Reinforce consequences of each action

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Ohio Electric Partnership Education Protocols

• Conclusion
• Complete and sign action plan
• Review next steps and time frame
• Provide referral information
• Establish follow-up procedures

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Ohio Electric Partnership Education Materials

• Education note cards
• Reports generated by program software
• Graph of top ten electric users with annual cost
• Action form

Appliance Action Annual Savings Annual Savings New Hours
Appliance Action kWh Cost New Hours

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Ohio Electric Partnership Barriers

• OEE ordered to implement program in 6 months
• Limited OEE staff
• Auditors adjustment to PDA
• Perception of PIPP customers
• Education training could not be scheduled
  immediately

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Ohio Electric Partnership Observation Findings

• Visit introduction
• Many auditors introduce themselves with no
  description of the program and then meter
  refrigerator and inspect home
• Usage data
• Auditors request bill and enter updated usage
  information into PDA
• Most auditors do not explain bill

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Ohio Electric Partnership Observation Findings

• Energy tour
• Most auditors do not review biggest electric
  uses, estimate costs per appliance, or list
  suggested actions
• Action plan
• Most auditors do not use action reports

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Ohio Electric Partnership Observation Findings

• Conclusion
• Most auditors do not
• Secure action commitment
• Reinforce partnership agreement
• Explain next steps of program

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Ohio Electric PartnershipClient Interview
Findings

• Understanding of the Program

Round 1 Round 2
Yes, I understand the EPP 90 87
Yes, I understand the Partnership 72 73
The service providers responsibility is to reduce energy usage or energy bills 68 48
The customers responsibility is to reduce energy usage or follow recommendations 40 55
The benefit of the program is reduced energy usage or bills 63 67
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Ohio Electric PartnershipClient Interview
Findings

• Customer Motivation

Round 1 Round 2
I would be required to pay arrearages if I left PIPP 82 67
There are benefits to reducing usage while on PIPP 73 65
Reducing usage will reduce summer electric bills 78 74
Reducing usage will prevent increase in arrears 83 72
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Ohio Electric PartnershipClient Interview
Findings

• Education Provided

Round 1 Round 2
Explained energy bill 76 70
Explained how to tell if usage is increasing or decreasing 61 63
Explained how electric use is measured 71 56
Suggested actions 78 82
Developed Action Plan 71 56
Provided saving estimates 72 60
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Ohio Electric PartnershipClient Interview
Findings

• Recall of Energy Saving Actions

Agreed to Taken
Turn off lights 57 30
Turn off appliances 38 16
Conserve energy 15 8
Use CFLs 8 3
Wash clothes in cold water 4 3
Use double spin on clothes washer 2 2
Reduce water heater temperature 3 3
Reduce length of showers 3 3
Line dry clothes 3 3
None 15 15
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Ohio Electric PartnershipClient Interview
Findings

• Percent with actions expected to reduce energy
  use

Round 1 Round 2
High energy savings potential 25 31
Low energy saving potential 66 47
No action 9 22
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Ohio Electric PartnershipClient Interview
Findings

• Reduced End Uses

Round 1 Round 2
Hot Water 32 25
Air Conditioning 24 41
Electric Dryer 62 45
Dishwasher 8 12
Dehumidifier 6 4
Lights 75 74
44
Ohio Electric PartnershipSummary

• Well-developed education protocols
• Excellent education materials
• Many barriers to implementation
• Auditors not focused on action plans
• Education not tailored to individual client
• More recent client interviews show better results

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Utility ProgramProgram Background

• Comprehensive usage reduction program managed by
  an electric and gas utility
• Addresses electric and gas usage
• Provide appliance replacement and weatherization
  services
• Providers are community action agencies and
  private contractors
• Four energy coordinators oversee work of agencies
  and contractors

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Utility ProgramProgram Background

• Services are targeted to non public assistance,
  low-income, payment troubled, LIHEAP-recipient
  customers
• Four types of energy services
• Appliance Efficiency Program (AEP) Refrigerator
  and/or freezer replacement, waterbed mattress
  replacement, fuel switching
• Weatherization Program heating system service
  and repairs, air sealing, duct sealing,
  insulation
• Combination AEP and Weatherization
• Modified Inspection for AEP or Weatherization
  but no additional treatment

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Utility Program Education Protocols

• Energy Use Management Education
• Workshop or education packet with worksheets and
  video
• Customers complete energy services questionnaire
  and are targeted into programs based on their
  usage
• Contractors provide additional education when
  performing tests and installing measures

48
Utility Program Education Protocols

• In-home Education
• Include the customer
• Tailor the inspection to the customers needs
• Identify incentives (increased comfort and lower
  cost)
• Provide reinforcing confidence
• Initiate and develop an action plan

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Utility ProgramEducation Materials

• Hot water temperature card
• Cost of Operating Home Appliances brochure
• Sheets on major energy users
• Home heating and cooling
• Home water heating
• Kitchen energy use
• Electric home appliances
• Home lighting
• Laundry energy use

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Utility ProgramEducation Materials

• Energy Savings Action Plan

I would like to reduce monthly energy costs by _______ I would like to reduce monthly energy costs by _______
Space Heating Electric Appliances
1. _____Apply for Weatherization 6. _____Unplug second refrigerator
2. _____Turn down thermostat 7. _____Turn off TVs when not in use
3. _____Discontinue use of space heaters 8. _____Turn off computer when not used
Water Heating Lighting
4. _____Set water temperature at 120 9. _____Turn off lights when not needed
5. _____Wash clothes in cold water 10. ____Install energy efficient lights in these rooms ___________ ____________
Other Actions or Suggestions for Reducing Energy Use Other Actions or Suggestions for Reducing Energy Use

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Utility Program Barriers and Supports

• Lack of contractors
• Time lag between initial education and service
  delivery for some providers
• Quality control provided by energy coordinators
• Many contractors are well experienced with the
  utilitys programs

52
Utility Program Observation Findings

• Energy usage analysis
• Auditors calculate the energy usage of appliances
  and estimate the contribution of each major use
• General education
• Auditors explain what they are doing and how
  appliances should be maintained

53
Utility Program Observation Findings

• Review of actions from workshop
• Contractors sometimes review actions from
  workshop
• Action plan
• Contractors did not create a written list of
  actions for the customer at the end of the visit
  or review actions they had discussed during the
  visit

54
Utility ProgramClient Interview Findings

• Understanding of the Program

Yes, I understand the services provided by the program 88
The service providers responsibility is to reduce energy bills 44
The service providers responsibility is to reduce energy usage 21
The customers responsibility is to reduce energy usage or follow recommendations 54
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Utility ProgramClient Interview Findings

• Customer Motivation

Energy bill is somewhat or very difficult to pay 92
Reduce energy usage or bills is the most important benefit of the program 53
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Utility ProgramsClient Interview Findings

• Education Provided

Discussed hot water use 73
Discussed home heating use 62
Discussed clothes dryer use 59
Discussed other high energy uses 47
Described dollar savings from actions always or most of the time 73
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Utility ProgramClient Interview Findings

• Recall of Energy Saving Actions

Actions Taken As a Result of Actions Taken As a Result of Actions Taken As a Result of
Workshop Video In-Home Education
Turn off lights 43 40 33
Install CFLs 27 20 24
Turn down thermostat 14 15 10
Reduce TV usage 11 3 6
Turn off appliances 11 9 9
Turn down water temperature 10 12 10
Reduce use of AC 9 3 6
Use cold water for clothes washing 9 5 6
Set back temperature at night/when out 5 4 2
58
Utility ProgramClient Interview Findings

• Percent with actions expected to reduce energy
  use

Action Taken as a Result of Action Taken as a Result of Action Taken as a Result of
Workshop Video In-Home Education
High energy savings potential 69 65 60
Low energy saving potential 26 20 23
No action 5 15 13
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Utility ProgramClient Interview Findings

• Reduced End Uses

Hot Water 62
Heating 59
Dryer 48
Lights 73
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Utility ProgramSummary

• Well-developed education protocols
• Excellent education materials
• Some barriers to implementation
• Auditors were not focused on action plans
• Action form was developed
• More recent client interviews show promising
  results

61
Summary of Evaluation Findings

• Education procedures and materials are well
  planned and developed
• Observations show that auditors do not focus on
  the education aspect of the audit
• Client interviews show that clients are
  motivated, but most do not focus on actions with
  greatest savings potential
• Need better evaluation data on impacts of
  education

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Ways to Improve Energy Education

• Auditor motivation
• Auditor training and feedback
• Flexible education protocols
• Pilot new approaches

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Baseline Assessment Instrument

• Original Purpose
• Improve measurement of the impacts of behavioral
  changes on energy usage
• Design Elements
• Capture preprogram knowledge, attitudes, and
  actions
• Identify reasons for unexplained changes in usage
  
• Furnish educator with motivation information
• Discussion Components
• Comfort and Safety
• Knowledge/Behaviors/Actions
• Motivation/Empowerment

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Experiences with Instrument

• Step 1 - Coworker Pretest
• Issues in design and format
• Significant differences in knowledge/attitudes/act
  ions
• Special circumstances
• Step 2 Client Pretest
• Clients appreciate someone listening to them
• Significant differences in knowledge/attitude/acti
  ons
• Ideas for tailoring education
• Ideas for tailoring treatments
• Step 3 Field Pretest
• Need motivated volunteers

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Experiences with Instrument

• Examples

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Summary of Findings

• Instrument can serve as a baseline for
  measurement of client behavioral change
• Instrument can serve as a useful starting point
  for educator
• Instrument can help the auditor to identify
  unusual situations that change treatment
  priorities