Schneider Electric has said home energy consumption is the primary driver of home emissions and has increased steadily over recent years with the spread of energy-consuming devices and appliances.
Disclosing this in the third edition of its consumer survey in a white paper titled ‘Evolving home energy consumption: Intentions, actions and hurdles to greater home energy efficiency,’ the firm said this trend, coupled with skyrocketing energy costs and dramatic real-life impacts of climate change, had driven awareness of home energy consumption.
It surveyed 13,000 people from 11 countries worldwide, uncovering global attitudes toward household energy efficiency, sustainability and smart home technology.
Given this, the report focuses on behaviours, barriers and readiness to adopt energy-saving solutions. This year’s results highlight a wide gap between awareness and action. 82% of respondents consider energy efficiency “somewhat important” or “very important,” whilst 84% said it is the top desired home improvement, and 70% responded that reducing their carbon footprint is ‘important’ to them.
According to the report, “However, only a few are taking the most impactful actions to reduce their energy consumption; just 44% regularly adjust their ambient temperatures, despite this being one of the highest-impact actions. At the same time, 58% of homeowners turn off lights as their primary energy-saving strategy, while lighting only comprises around 5% of electricity bills.
“The second-most popular method, unplugging unused chargers (48%), also has minimal impact — saving only $0.26 per charger annually.”
The report revealed another overemphasis on lighting regarding the types of home energy technology consumers have in their homes, with 52% of consumers believing that smart lighting enhances energy efficiency. While 24% own bright lighting, only 21% have a smart thermostat, with less than half (46%) acknowledging its energy-saving benefits, despite evidence showing it could reduce bills by up to 30% annually.
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