Homeowners not leveraging available technology to reduce energy costs and emissions, says report from Schneider Electric (Photo: Business Wire)
Although 70 per cent of survey respondents recognize the importance of reducing their carbon footprint, many are still opting for small-scale solutions.
Turning off lights is the most common energy-saving method, but accounts for just 5 per cent of average energy bills. However, only 44 per cent of respondents adjusted their ambient temperature, representing over half of household energy use.
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, January 30, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today released the third edition of its consumer survey in a white paper titled Evolving home energy consumption: Intentions, actions and hurdles to greater home energy efficiency. It surveyed 13,000 people from 11 countries across the world uncovering global attitudes toward household energy efficiency, sustainability and smart home technology.
Gap between awareness and action
Home energy consumption is the main driver of home emissions and has increased steadily over recent years with the spread of energy-consuming devices and appliances. This trend, coupled with skyrocketing energy costs and dramatic real-life impacts of climate change, has driven awareness of home energy consumption.
Given this, the report focuses on behaviors, barriers and readiness to adopt energy-saving solutions. Notably, this year’s results highlight a wide gap between awareness and action. 82 per cent of respondents consider energy efficiency “somewhat important” or “very important,” whilst 84 per cent said energy efficiency is the top desired home improvement, and 70 per cent responded that reducing their carbon footprint is ‘important’ to them.
However, only a few are taking the most impactful actions to reduce their energy consumption; just 44 per cent regularly adjust their ambient temperatures, despite this being one of the highest-impact actions. At the same time, 58 per cent of homeowners turn off lights as their primary strategy for saving energy, while lighting only comprising around 5 per cent of electricity bills. The second-most popular method, unplugging unused chargers (48 per cent), also has minimal impact — saving only $0.26 per charger annually.
Home energy technology
The report reveals another overemphasis on lighting when it comes to the types of home energy technology consumers have in their homes, with 52 per cent of consumers believing that smart lighting enhances energy efficiency. While 24 per cent own smart lighting, only 21 per cent have a smart thermostat, with less than half (46 per cent) acknowledging its energy-saving benefits, despite evidence showing it could reduce bills by up to 30 per cent annually.
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