A strategy to encourage housing associations to invest in energy conservation

To meet the Dutch Government goal of reducing CO2 emission, target groups must intensify their efforts to conserve energy. Novem,1 in commission of the Dutch Ministry of Environmental Affairs, developed a strategy to effectively change the behaviour of target groups. This paper answers the questions: what are the influencing determinants of energy-relevant behaviour of housing associations; and which policy instruments are most suitable for an intervention strategy? From a survey of housing associations we determined the factors making up the determinants of behaviour. The four main types of policy instruments—judicial, economical and communicative instruments and physical provisions—were analysed for their active ingredients. An intervention strategy was then based on matching the factors making up the target-group determinants and the active ingredients of the policy instruments. The factors: attitude, feedback of peer organizations and feedback from authorities strongly influence the energy-relevant behaviour of housing associations and the most effective policy instruments have a facilitating and encouraging character and include covenants with local authorities. We conclude that this method forms a solid basis for formulating an intervention strategy to change the behaviour of housing associations.