Behavior Watersheds

Susan Mazur-Stommen, Indicia ConsultingKate Farley, Indicia Consulting/Yale

University

Examining the Geospatial Distribution and Impact of Behavior Change Programs

Energy Efficiency: Why do Utilities Care?

• “Throughput incentive” • Energy Efficiency Resource Standards• Clean Power Plan• Behavior programs as the low-

hanging fruit

Behavior Programs

Cognition

CommunicationGeneral Billboards, TV/radio ads, print ads, etc.

Targeted Bill inserts, direct mail, etc.

Social Media Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.

Education & TrainingSchools

Companies or Institutions

Calculus

FeedbackReal-time

Asynchronous

Games Competitions, challenges, lotteries

Incentives Cash, rebates, subsidies

Home energy audits

Installation Direct install, DIY

Social

Human Scale

Community-based social marketing

Eco-teams

Peer championsOnline Forums

Gifts

Methodology• QGIS: Open-source GIS software• Data collected from a variety of

sources, often hand-digitized• Geographic focus on the Northeast

and Pacific Northwest• Behavior program counts come from

our 2013 Field Guide to Utility-Run Behavior Programs

Electric Utilities offering Behavior Programs

Northeast Pacific Northwest

Overlap Between Gas and Electric Behavior Programs

Northeast Pacific Northwest

Compassion FatigueNo programs

Some programs chosen at random

One well-chosen

program

Stacked programs selected

strategically

<<

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Conclusion• There is significant spatial overlap in

utility-based behavior programs• Utility program implementers should

take into account existing behavior programs in the area