Xavier Brisbois
Doctor of social psychology
The adoption of new heating systems that use less energy is a widely identified mechanism, seemingly simple to implement in order to cut energy consumption at the individual and collective levels as part of a drive for efficiency or even sufficiency. Yet, this behavioral change is proving difficult, a situation that contributes to the discrepancy between the potential and actual energy savings that energy efficiency could achieve. This is known as the energy efficiency gap. This article highlights research carried out by two specialists in order to illustrate the role of various social science disciplines in the analysis of this phenomenon, and to point the way to non-technical solutions. Particular attention is paid to solutions based on behavior-led approaches, which take account of the realities of people’s habits rather than imagining that all their choices are rational. Already applied to behavioral changes designed to improve energy efficiency practices, these analyses are also relevant when dealing with the challenge of helping people transition towards sufficiency.
