Preferences regarding a web-based, neighborhood-level intervention program to promote household energy conservation

The aim of this study is to investigate people’s willingness to participate in and their preferences regarding a web-based, neighborhood-level energy conservation program. We created a hypothetical program that incorporates several intervention strategies and presented it to 715 respondents in the form of a stated choice experiment. A strong majority of participants indicated that they would be willing to join such a program. Their preferences as to how the program should be constructed reflected interest in personalized feedback, privacy protection, monetary incentives for reducing energy use, and a relatively short-term initial commitment. However, there was variation in people’s taste for such attributes. We conclude with reflections on how to design and implement a web-based intervention program and on future research possibilities.