In the United States, renters searching for homes almost never know the energy costs they will have to pay in their new residences. Considering nearly a third of renters pay more than 10% of their annual income on energy bills, this information can be critically important. Fortunately, there is a clear solution: energy efficiency labels that provide key details about a building’s energy performance. For example, the Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score and Building Energy Asset Score can be used to rate and label buildings on a scale of 1 to 10. Several leading nonprofits, social enterprises, and local governments are working to require energy labels for rental properties in their areas to enable renters to make informed decisions and motivate building owners to make efficiency upgrades.
Join us to learn the findings from ACEEE’s new behavioral science–informed experiment exploring how renters respond to energy efficiency information in rental listings. We will share insights on the types of labels that are most effective and how much renters are willing to adjust their rent for improvements in efficiency.
Participants will learn about the results of a complementary experiment conducted with real users on the RentLab platform. Jacqui Bauer, CEO of RentLab, will discuss the results and give a brief overview of the company's efforts to provide efficiency and sustainability information on rental housing in several demonstration cities. Luke Hollenkamp, from the City of Minneapolis, will describe how his city is implementing a new mandate to disclose energy information on rental listings.
Moderator: Reuven Sussman, Director, Behavior and Human Dimensions Program, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Dr. Sussman conducts research on energy efficiency behavior change and co-chairs the annual conference on Behavior, Energy and Climate Change (BECC). He has authored numerous academic papers and book chapters on the psychology of climate change, behavioral interventions to encourage energy efficiency, and the psychological determinants of pro-environmental behavior. Dr. Sussman has been an advisor for organizations, including the G20, that implement energy efficiency behavior change programs, and an expert reviewer for academic journals and large-scale grant opportunities. Dr. Sussman earned a doctor of science in social and environmental psychology from the University of Victoria.
Speakers:
Luke Hollenkamp, Sustainability Program Coordinator, City of Minneapolis
Luke works on building, energy, and climate policy for the City of Minneapolis. He leads the city’s benchmarking and disclosure policy and represents the city in its collaborative efforts with local electricity and gas utilities through the Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership. He has over ten years of energy and sustainability experience, a master’s degree in science, technology, and environmental policy from University of Minnesota, and bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering from University or Colorado, Boulder.
Jacqui Bauer, Co-founder & CEO, RentLab
Jacqui developed the RentLab concept in partnership with colleagues while serving as the first sustainability coordinator for the City of Bloomington, Indiana, where she spearheaded energy efficiency, waste reduction, active transportation, and renewable energy programs throughout the community. During this time, she also served in leadership positions with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, co-chairing the Innovation Fund Committee and as a member of the Planning Committee. She holds master’s degrees in public policy and environmental science from the Indiana University, and a bachelor’s degree in Japanese language from the University of Michigan.
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