Normative feedback is considered a cost-effective solution for promoting energy conservation in private homes. However, occupants in shared spaces, have no or split financial incentives, and it was unclear whether normative feedback was effective in encouraging them to conserve energy. To fill this research gap, this Chinese study presented a field experiment to test the energy-saving effect of normative feedback in shared dorms. The study involved 120 shared univeristy dorms and 480 participants; half were assigned to the treeatment group and the remaining half served as a control group. Difference-in-Differences analysis was used to examine intervention effectiveness.
The study results show that normative feedback in the form of multi-level reference groups had a significant positive effect on occupants' behavior change and energy savings in shared spaces, with energy savings of 7.73%.
The study concluded that detailed normative feedback can increase the efficacy of normative feedback in shared contexts, as it provides multi-level feedback with social comparative references |
