Baring the Torchiere: Everything You Wanted to Know About Energy Efficient Torchieres in the Northeast But Were Afraid to Ask

摘要

Results of a recent evaluation featuring a comprehensive telephone survey show that participants in a Northeast compact fluorescent (CFL) torchiere lighting program with a distinctive marketing campaign have high energy savings. The study suggests that turn-in and retail promotions advertising the safety benefits of the CFL torchieres result in more replacements of halogens than other incandescent fixtures. The study also tells us where customers put their CFL torchieres (what room), as well as their weekly usage patterns and the usage intensities of the new and replaced torchieres. It also captures what customers do with the replaced torchieres. The sales of CFL torchieres in the Northeast have surged recently, due to a combination of product development, media attention about the fire hazards of halogen torchieres, and a variety of successful promotions by utilities. The promotions include retail rebates, mail order distribution, and turn-in events. By measuring and relating energy impacts from different promotion strategies, this paper illustrates some of the human dimensions of marketing and the effects of promotion strategies. It concludes that better understanding of customers and consumption patterns can help influence program design, marketing, distribution, and utilities' expectations of energy savings from efficiency programs.