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| 1 |
ID:
177119
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| Summary/Abstract |
Considerable efforts have been made to increase the energy efficiency of school buildings across the country. Despite this, limited research examines the relationship between energy efficiency and student productivity. We use a unique panel dataset from a suburban school district that includes information on school building energy efficiency, measured by Energy Star scores, and other environmental attributes of buildings, as well as measures of individual student achievement, measured by standardized test scores. The empirical analysis controls for student and school fixed effects and evaluates the relationship between school characteristics and achievement. Separate models also evaluate how school characteristics impact student health and behavioral outcomes and the how these outcomes influence student test scores. We find no evidence that Energy Star scores have an impact on the indoor school environment or student performance on standardized tests, suggesting that building energy performance does not come at a cost to the performance of building inhabitants. We also find positive relationships between building thermal comfort and visual quality and standard test scores. Overall, the results highlight the importance of considering both the environmental and human capital impacts associated with decisions about investments in school infrastructure.
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| 2 |
ID:
103419
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| Publication |
2011.
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| Summary/Abstract |
In the United States, nearly 17% of greenhouse gas emissions come from residential energy use. Increases in energy efficiency for the residential sector can generate significant energy savings and emissions reductions. Consumer labels, such as the US Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR, promote conservation by providing consumers with information on energy usage for household appliances. This study examines how the ENERGY STAR label affects consumer preferences for refrigerators. The results of an online survey of a national sample of adults suggest that consumers are, on average, willing to pay an extra $249.82-$349.30 for a refrigerator that has been awarded the ENERGY STAR label. Furthermore, the results provide evidence that respondent willingness-to-pay was motivated by both private (energy cost savings) and public (environmental) benefits.
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| 3 |
ID:
162928
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| Summary/Abstract |
The economic and environmental benefits of efficiency are typically assessed assuming that all consumers use appliances in the same way. There are, however, significant differences in consumer usage patterns, as well as geographical variability in prices and environmental impacts of electricity. To explore the importance of heterogeneity, we first develop distributions of consumer-by-consumer economic benefits from purchasing an efficient versus standard appliance for televisions, clothes washers, and dryers in the U.S. We find large variability, e.g. for washers and dryers, 9% and 7.5% of the U.S. population do not save money over the lifetime of an efficient device, while 11% and 17% save more than twice that of an average consumer. Providing personalized savings information can thus inform and better motivate those consumers who would save more. Abatement costs for carbon and electricity use are similarly heterogenous as consumer economic benefits, indicating that adoption by heavy users is in the public as well as private interest. The cost of abating carbon via a utility appliance rebate program varies greatly by consumer. To scope the emission benefits of targeted adoption, we find that adoption by heavy users saves around 3 times more carbon than an average user for 10% participation in an efficiency program.
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| 4 |
ID:
121293
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| Publication |
2013.
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| Summary/Abstract |
The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program (HPwES) was established to promote a comprehensive, whole-house approach to retrofits. It is currently administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) after being jointly administered by DOE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since the Program's inception in 1999. This paper presents the results of a process evaluation of the HPwES Program. Interviews were conducted with key federal Program administrators and a sample of sponsors and contractors responsible for implementing the Program in the field. The respondents describe a program whose success is largely dependent on the use of the ENERGY STAR brand and the flexibility given sponsors to tailor their programs to their specific contexts. It is recommended that the HPwES Program: evolve to better meet the needs of specific types of sponsors (e.g., utilities, public benefit funds); implement a national marketing campaign; create closer ties to other DOE programs (e.g., the Weatherization Assistance Program); and conduct research to better establish program energy savings impacts and awareness.
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| 5 |
ID:
176835
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| Summary/Abstract |
Energy Star (ES) appliances are required to provide the same features and performance as their unlabeled counterparts, but do so with increased efficiency. However, the expected energy savings from such labeling may not be as great as expected. This paper contributes to previous research on ES labeling by examining household behavior and electricity consumption. Using two different household surveys on energy use, we provide a first attempt to estimate the impact of ES appliance ownership on actual household electricity usage. The results show a significant effect for ES refrigerators reducing electricity use, while the analysis for ES televisions suggests an increase in electricity usage by LCD TV owners. The findings highlight the need for more research on household energy consumption and the efficacy of the ES appliance program.
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