Motivations for Investment in Smart Technologies and Energy Efficiency: The Case of Residential Buildings

Along with energy innovations and related business models arises a paradigm shift in households' investment in buildings' energy efficiency and smart technologies. This brings about new trade-offs with previously available investment options, which calls for adapted policies.

To do so, this project focuses on analysing the impact of different policies such as subsidies, pricing, tax incentives and information nudges on investment decisions. The effectiveness of these instruments and the underlying motivations of individuals will be included in this analysis. Another focus lies on the differences between the owner and user groups of buildings, i.e. owner-occupied buildings, tenant-occupied building owners and tenants.

The results of this study enable an adequate design of policy instruments (including its coherent mix) and of energy related products and services.

TEP's contribution to this project is mainly regarding stakeholder interaction, the roll-out of two micro-level surveys and project result dissemination.

Project infos

  • Project duration2019 - 2022

  • Contact at TEP Energy Martin Jakob

  • Contracting partySwiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE)

  • Project partnersUni NE - IRENE (Lead), TEP Energy

  • Final Report PDF

  • Working Paper: The role of tenants IRENA Webpage

  • Working Paper: Analysis of investment decisionsIRENA Webpage

  • Working Paper: Impact of complexity and experience on energy investment decisions IRENA Webpage

  • Energeia blog entry Website

  • batimag ArticleArticle

  • BFE ArticleArticle

Reference projects

Energy Policy Simulator

TEP Energy is supporting the San Francisco based think tank Energy Innovation in the expansion of its Energy Policy Simulator (EPS).

Future of Gas Study

TEP analysed the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of buildings of residential and service sector in EU27 countries to model different pathways of fossil fuel substitution.

MEDIUS

MEDIUS bridges the gap between green finance and green projects to decarbonize buildings at scale.

Country-specific Market Reports for Buildings

Building Market Briefs (BMB) is a Climate KIC initiative within the flagship Building Technologies Accelerator (BTA) that aims to gather and promote knowledge about the buildings' and construction sector to promote low carbon investment and scaling.

Heating Initiative Switzerland

On behalf of the Swiss Heating Initiative (WIS), the decarbonization of the heating sector will be examined by 2050. Spatial potential analyzes and the Swiss building stock model (GPM) are used.

CoolCity

Assessment of the potential for lake water use for heating and cooling in the city of Zurich

Energy-Saving Contracting

Increasing energy efficiency is one of the central pillars of Swiss energy policy and energy-saving contracting contributes to this goal.