Adoption of Energy Star certifications: theory and evidence compared. Issue 2 (17th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sanderford, Andrew R.; McCoy, Andrew P.; Keefe, Matthew J.
• Is Part Of: Building research and information. Volume 46:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 207
• Page End: 219
• Publication Date: 2018-02-17
• Subjects: diffusion -- eco-labels -- energy efficiency -- energy labels -- Energy Star -- housing -- new product adoption -- United States; Building -- Periodicals; Building -- Research -- Periodicals; 690.015
• DOI: 10.1080/09613218.2016.1252618
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0961-3218

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Energy Star, the largest voluntary housing eco-labelling programme in the US, conveys important signals to housing market actors about the energy efficiency of homes. With energy demand from housing being a significant energy consumer and contributor to climate change, gaining insight into the diffusion patterns of these certifications is an important analytical step. Informed by theories of new product adoption, research is used to identify the factors associated with the diffusion patterns of Energy Star certifications into US single-family housing from 2002 to 2013. The findings are generally congruent with recent studies of energy-efficiency adoption patterns in commercial property (real estate) and residential building construction. The key significant predictors of variation in the proportion of Energy Star-certified homes across US core-based statistical areas (CBSAs) are found to be public policy, climate, market attributes, industry characteristics and energy prices.