Figure 1
Main steps in the development process of the systemic decision-making model of homeowners regarding energy retrofit realisation.
Table 1
Major intrinsic and extrinsic drivers and barriers for homeowners’ energy retrofit (ER) decisions.
| DRIVERS FOR ER | BARRIERS FOR ER | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| INTRINSIC | EXTRINSIC | INTRINSIC | EXTRINSIC |
| Preservation/increase of property value | Financial incentives | Efforts and inconveniences of the renovation process | Higher construction costs due to ER |
| Reduction of heating costs | Positive examples and word-of-mouth | Financing difficulties (low income) | Long payback period for investments |
| Personal contribution to climate goals | Lack of awareness of the contribution to climate change | Limited availability of qualified planners and craftsman | |
| Increase in living comfort | Feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of ER | Shortage in the supply of building materials | |
| Lack of knowledge about the energy condition of the property | Negative examples and word-of-mouth | ||
| Lack of know-how | Lack of information to support decision-making | ||
| Fear of unsatisfactory results | Bureaucratic demands | ||
| Inappropriate individual contextual and social circumstances for ER | ER solutions are highly individual | ||
[i] Note: Factors shown in bold are mentioned in six or more of all analysed reports and articles. For details of the sources used, see Appendix B in the supplemental data online.
Figure 2
Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) as a qualitative system model representation describing homeowners’ energy retrofit (ER) decision-making process.
Table 2
Phases of the Rubicon framework with their general description and how it is implemented in the system model shown in Figure 2.
| RUBICON PHASE | GENERAL DESCRIPTION | IN THE SYSTEM MODEL |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 (pre-decisional) | Motivating for energy retrofit (ER) including weighing pros and cons (Why should I do ER?) | Divided into two steps:
|
| Rubicon | Transition from motivation to volition | Motivated/interested homeowners decide to do ER |
| Phase 2 (post-decisional) | Volition with planning action of ER (How to realise ER?) | The determined homeowner plans the detailed ER realisation with external expertise (variables with orange text in the CLD model) |
| Phase 3 (action) | Realising ER | The homeowner executes the ER of the home (variables with dark red text in the CLD model) |
| Phase 4 (evaluation) | Reflecting if ER results are satisfying (Was it successful?) | The homeowner living in the ER home reflects on whether the effort of the ER process is worth the result (variable with dark red text in the CLD model) |
[i] Note: The four phases of the psychological Rubicon framework are: Phase 1 (motivation) with red and purple variables, overcoming the Rubicon to phase 2 (volition) with orange variables, phase 3 (action) and phase 4 (evaluation) with dark red variables. Variables in grey are external. Reinforcing (R) and balancing (B) feedback loops are numbered according to their description in the text and highlighted in Figures 3 and 4 for better visualisation.
Figure 3
Highlighting the seven identified reinforcing feedback loops of the systemic decision-making Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) model.
Figure 4
Highlighting the three identified balancing feedback loops of the systemic decision-making Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) model.
Table 3
Suggested governmental policies to enhance the energy retrofit (ER) dynamics.
| OVERALL APPROACHES TO ENHANCE ER DYNAMICS BASED ON THE CLD | CORRESPONDING RUBICON PHASE IN THE CLD | KEY VARIABLES FROM THE CLD MODEL | SUGGESTIONS FOR GOVERNMENTAL POLICIES/INTERVENTIONS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raising enthusiasm and trust for ER in society | Phase 1 (pre-decisional) |
| Informational policies with positive storytelling to build trust and identification with ER in society and reduce uncertainty |
| Shifting the perception of ‘own benefits’ relative to ‘own efforts’ for homeowners to be more advantageous | Phases 1–2 (pre- and post-decisional) |
| Lowering the effort side by reducing the perceived complexity of ER (e.g. one-stop-shop concept, reducing the time for ER to a few weeks), by designing socially just and user-friendly subsidies constant in their availability |
| Reducing the bottleneck of insufficient capacity of craftsmen, planners, energy consultants and ER material | Phases 3–4 (action and evaluation) |
| Support the education of ER specialists and the increase in producing ER material (delays in capacity-building crucial) |
[i] Note: These are derived from the systemic Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) decision-making model to understand homeowners’ motivations and concerns.