Latin America. 86% of people believe that climate change will have a major impact on increasing the value of energy bills. Likewise, 9 out of 10 consider that each individual should assume a more relevant role in the face of climate change, as announced by a recent study by Schneider Electric.
Main findings of the consumer study
• 7 out of 10 (72%) consumers consider that reducing their carbon footprint should be a personal priority.
• More than half (55%) consider it a priority for their homes to move to net-zero emissions environments. However, less than a third (31%) believe this is likely to happen.
• More than half of respondents (55%) consider it the responsibility of each individual to address climate change.
"In a reality in which the price of energy supply is increasing, in which it produces a great increase in the cost of living, and in which a greater use of devices and electric vehicles is confirmed, the management of energy in homes becomes a priority task for both consumers, builders, companies and governments. These are indicators that confirm that there is a great will to make changes, however, there is great pessimism about the difference that can be made", says Jaap Ham, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences at the Eindhoven University of Technology.
According to the expert, the future will be in our hands, as long as mechanisms are established to make housing more sustainable. This will be possible with the help of modern technologies for home energy management (HEM). For the official, the biggest barrier to change right now is the way of thinking.
"We have created psychological obstacles that make us shirk the responsibility to act. These findings show that as we adopt smart digital solutions to fight an invisible enemy (energy management and consumption), we replace fossil fuels with smart, clean electricity in our homes' energy diets. This confirms how we can make a significant contribution to our global struggle for a healthier planet. In addition, we should be able to do good for the environment without compromising our comfort", Ham said.
Consumers deploy smart devices to improve energy efficiency in the home
The Schneider Electric study has confirmed that consumers are looking to implement sustainable lifestyles, which allows them to make home energy efficiency a top priority.
• 40% of respondents believe that smart technologies will enable homes to be more sustainable.
• More than half of the people surveyed (54%) expect their new home or apartment to be equipped with smart home devices, a 13% increase over previous research (2020).
• Families are willing to spend on average 1,691 / Eur 1,995, in the next 12 months on energy efficiency. Device owners who have experienced the benefits of smart technology and incorporated it into their lifestyles are willing to spend at least twice as much. These are the amounts £2,215 vs £915 / Eur 2,613 vs Eur 1,079.
• Smart lighting elements and thermostats are among the types of smart devices with the highest purchase rates.
The increase in the cost of living and the management of energy consumption are factors that encourage consumers to adopt smart measures and invest in sustainable solutions.
