Doctoral Dissertations
Date of Award
6-1984
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Major Professor
F. Duncan Case, Cheryl Buehler
Committee Members
Nancy Belck, Kacquelyn DeJonge, Darrell Holt
Abstract
The conceptual model developed for this study examines types of energy audits, variables related to differences in consumer acceptance of types of energy audits, the utilization of evaluative criteria in implementation of audit suggestions, and the effect of demographics in implementation of audit suggestions. Data were collected through a mail survey of audit recipients in a large southeastern utility company.
Based on a sample size of 593 consumers, the rate of implementation of audit suggestions differed significantly between those who had an energy auditor present in the home and those who had an unassisted audit, with auditor-assisted participants implementing 15% of the suggestions made in the audit and the unassisted participants implementing 10% of the suggestions. Type of audit, the variables examining consumer acceptance of the audit, and demographics explained 8% of the variance between the implementation rates of auditor-assisted and unassisted audits.
Significant differences between the two audit types emerged on the variables of audit type, satisfaction with the audit, perceived credibility in the audit and the utility, additional information, uncertainty, income, size of the house, value of the house, and age of the house.
The use of evaluative criteria in conservation decisions is decision specific. In decision-making on specific conservation measures, it was found that general attitudes about criteria people use in deliberating the conservation decision correlated at low levels with the use of that same criteria in a specific decision. This general attitude, usually used in conservation research, is not as useful in the use of criteria applied to specific decisions. Within the four specific conservation decisions studied, ceiling insulation, storm windows, caulking windows and doors, and water heater insulation, there was little pattern in use of evaluative criteria in decision-making. Those criteria important in the deliberation of one conservation decision were not necessarily important in another.
Recommended Citation
Miller, Karen C., "Decision-making on the implementatin of energy conservation measures as influenced by the utility company energy audit. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 1984.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/12927