Pilot Evaluation of Energy Savings and Persistence from Residential Energy Demand Feedback Devices in a Hot Climate

According to past studies, providing instantaneous feedback on household electrical demand has shown the promise to typically reduce energy consumption by 5-10%. This paper briefly reviews past research and describes a two year pilot evaluation of a low cost residential energy feedback system installed in twenty case study homes in Florida. Although not a statistical sample (the participants were self-selected and interested in reducing energy use), the study showed an average 7% reduction in energy use from feedback homes in the second year of monitoring after controlling for weather-related influences. However, a follow-up evaluation done three years later found little persistence of effect. Not surprisingly, we discovered that user motivation appears to play a large role in achieved reductions with important implications for future research as well as larger scale utility deployment. Presented at the 2010 American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings -- The Climate for Efficiency is Now, August 15-20, 2010 in Pacific Grove, CA.