Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Study Reveals Majority of Americans Would Choose Energy Efficiency

Shelton Group just released its 7th annual Energy Pulse survey findings, and it shows we’re making some good strides as a society in understanding how we use energy, and how we can use less of it. But, the news wasn’t all good.

On the plus side of things, the study found:
  • More people seem to be aware of home energy efficiency issues, with 23% rating their home as ‘inefficient’ – up significantly from 14% last year.
  • Americans are more aware than in previous years that their homes need energy efficient improvements.
  • 53% would choose to make their homes more energy efficient than more comfortable or beautiful (although we believe if your home is more efficient, you will be more comfortable!).
Now, some of the findings we weren’t so happy to see:

“Overall, activity still lags and consumers continue to prioritize the wrong things.”

  • Most homeowners think they need to replace their hot water heater or install a new, high efficiency HVAC (unfortunately, this shows most homeowners are still guessing on their improvements, and in fact, our experience shows these are not the top energy improvements most homes need first).
  • Awareness regarding energy efficiency programs remains low.
Why are we all so resistant to changing our behaviors about energy conservation? The Shelton Group offered some insight: "Other than the exhaust that cars produce, there are no physical reminders of the negative health or environmental impacts of our energy use—particularly our home energy use. There’s no “chemical smell” when we turn up the AC. Even the emissions rising from coal-fired power plants look like harmless white clouds. Carbon dioxide is clear and odorless; there’s no sense of personal urgency or immediate danger associated with it. What is there to get emotional about? It’s about the ROI."

Overall, I'd agree with the report. We frequently visit homes where owners incorrectly diagnose the problem, spend thousands of dollars on upgrades, and do not have the results they had hoped for. This is where an audit can help! By allowing a company like Pro Energy to listen to your pain(s), analyze your house and identify/prioritize problems and solutions, a consultant can save you money and help you get results! To learn more, you can visit our website: www.proenergyconsultants.com.

To read the Executive Summary from Shelton Group with these stats and more, Click Here.