Heating Energy Feedback in Apartment Buildings

Progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the heating sector has so far been modest. Apartment buildings present particular challenges due to the wide variety of technical conditions – such as their year of construction, the building envelope, their size and the diverse needs of their tenants. Digitally processed energy consumption data offers a valuable opportunity to improve transparency, foster participation and encourage energy saving.

Researchers at the Wuppertal Institute conducted two online surveys to investigate whether tenants are receptive or opposed to receiving heating energy feedback, or remain undecided. Their findings show that attitudes are shaped by several factors, including sensitivity to energy prices, the types of sensors used and trust in data privacy. A key insight is that tenants' perceived self-efficacy – the belief that their actions make a difference – emerged as a key factor in their motivation and willingness to adopt energy-saving measures. However, effective feedback needs to be presented in a way that is easy to understand, practical and relevant to everyday life. It is essential that the impacts of energy-saving measures, including implications for energy costs and CO2 emissions, are communicated clearly. To build meaningful digital interfaces, users need support in developing their energy literacy and digital literacy. For social trust into digital systems, data collection should be limited to the essentials and comply with data protection standards.