Transcript How do policy-makers and regulators accelerate property

Retrofit and Behaviour Change
A presentation by Prof. Erik Bichard, Salford
University
The Challenge
• Flooding threatens 1 in 6 homes, and 35% don’t have basic
energy saving measures.
• Most know they live at risk of flooding but don’t think it will
happen to them.
• There is a high degree of acceptance that Climate Change is a
personal responsibility, yet the motivation to reduce energy
consumption is weak.
• How do policy-makers and regulators accelerate propertylevel retrofit to protect or reduce the effect the dangerous
climate change within the timeframe that climate scientists
have set?
The Solutions?
For the 70% that own their own homes…
• Legislate – Difficult but not impossible (e.g. Town Gas
conversion) – but very expensive.
• Grants/subsidies – Also expensive, and requires take-up.
• Exhortation – Education and awareness has a part to play, but
will not lead to mass action.
• Incentivisation – Not often favoured as it requires multiagency co-operation.
Policy and Behaviour Change
• Influencing behaviour is central to public policy
• Changing minds based on traditional carrot and stick
strategies assumes that people make ‘perfectly
rational’ decisions, but this is not the case
• Changing the context within which people make
decisions is likely to have more success
(conclusions from Dolan et.al., (2010) Mindspace report
Denial
Confusion
From
work
done by
CDSM
companies are responsible
a tax
legislate
too late
not as dangerous
not concerned
Consumer concern mapped against level of consumer
action
9%
Level of Action Taken
10%
Not strongly concerned about
global warming, but willing to
take actions where clearly
signposted and supported by
incentives and social norms
Do not see global warming
as an issue to be personally
concerned about, or take any
action
Concerned about global warming,
willing to take make an effort,
empowered to take significant action
Concerned about global warming
but challenged to see how their
action could make a difference
6%
75%
Level of Concern
After Accountability/Consumer International Survey 2007
Sustainable Decision-making
Is there a problem?
Will the Solution Work?
Do I care?
What will my peers think of my behaviour?
Do I know what to do about it?
After Ajzen and Fishbien (1980) Theory of
Reasoned Action
Common Reasons for Inaction
•
•
•
•
Climate change is not happening
It is, but it is overstated
We (UK) are only a tiny part of the problem
It is important, and something should be done but…
– The government should fix it
– Technology will save us
– The market will rectify the problem
– Other polluters (China, US etc.) go first
– Why should I do something if others don’t
– The problem is too big for me to influence
– I would act, but don’t like any of the low carbon choices
The Fear of Making the Wrong Decision is Very
Powerful
The Resilient Homes Studies
• Environment Agency funded Salford University to
investigate how to motivate property-level actions in
response to climate change
• Part 1: Attitudinal work in England and Wales
• Part 2: Trial in Timperley, western Greater
Manchester
The Resilient Homes Proposition
• Through a house-to house survey, help home owners to
understand the choices available for buying property-level
measures.
• Offer free energy and flood survey
• Invite the residents to buy the recommended measures with
the incentive that they can recoup the amount they spend.
• Use non-cash rewards as the incentive. Each reward would
have an intrinsic sustainable benefit for added value.
• Set up a local green group as a parallel (norm-basedinfluence)
Attitudinal Results
• The large majority of respondents (78%) thought that their
actions could make a difference and that responding to the
threat of climate change was a personal responsibility
• However, 76% thought that the government had a
responsibility to tackle climate change
• On the motivation to invest in energy saving measures, 78%
said they would to save money, but 76% also listed concern
about climate change
• One third would invest nothing, the rest (average) would go to
£500.
Improving on education and
awareness
Lessons include:
•Better and more innovative communication
is required to make people believe that
flooding can affect them.
•Make it easier for people to know what
to buy and how to obtain and fit flood
protection
•Recruit community champions
•Find a well know figure (probably from the
Met. Office) to front the mass campaign
•Admit in a louder voice that the State can’t
protect against flooding
Treat Surveys with Caution
Desire for improvements to the houses:
Flood protection
Energy efficiency
Have got
60%
Would like
90%
80%
50%
70%
40%
60%
50%
30%
40%
20%
30%
20%
10%
10%
0%
Raise sockets
Air brick
covers
Door guards
Tiles
Concrete
staircase
0%
Double
glazing
Loft insulation
Appliances
New boiler
Wall insulation
Rewards as an Important Tool in the Box
• Preparedness to pay and accept non-cash rewards
– Over 35% would not pay anything
– Median value of £100-£500
– Over 60% would accept non-cash rewards in return for investment
– Around half would accept rewards up to 100% of the money spent
Reward
Yes No Don’t know
Vouchers for fruit and vegetables
56.0 40.9 3.1
Free meals at restaurants
53.2 43.8 3.0
Entertainment tickets
Leisure and health centres
34.2 62.1 3.6
33.3 64.0 2.7
Free bus travel
22.7 73.0 4.3
The Importance of Green Groups
• EST estimates there are over 3,000 groups in the UK
representing engaging 1 million people
• 250 of these are following the Transition Town model
• Interaction with peers can overcome both the
scepticism about effective action and the concern
about how action will be regarded by others
Reacts to
Problems
by…
Searches
for…
Pioneers
Doing something
about it
themselves
Something new
and exciting
Prospectors
Organising with
others
Something that
feels good
Settlers
Calling for
someone to do
something
Something that is
safe
After Rose,
Dade and
Scott (2007)
Resilient Homes (Current)
• Phase 2 Trial
– Started May 10th and will end in March 2011 with funding
from the EA and Trafford Borough Council
– Rewards include fruit and vegetables, bus, train and tram
tickets, FE courses, tickets to Salford City Reds and
Altrincham FC, landscape a and gardening services and
furniture makeovers.
– To date, of 100 residents; 50 responded to the survey, 25
accepted home audits and (to date) 3 have invested in
energy measures (8 more are obtaining quotes).
Preliminary Findings for Policy-makers
• It is possible to change behaviour, not by
changing minds, but by changing the context
within which decisions are made
• This can be achieved by:
– Better education (on effective choices) and better
awareness (about risk)
– Innovative incentives (to overcome inertia)
– Active and inclusive community groups
Contact Details
•
•
•
•
Prof. Erik Bichard
[email protected]
At the University of Salford: 0161-295-6826
Read the book – Positively Responsible by
Bichard and Cooper, published by
Butterworth-Heinemann, 2008.