Ithaca College

The community-based project is a field pilot that will be conducted in collaboration with an Ithaca-based company. 

The funded pilot was a response to a program opportunity notice from NYSERDA, which invited proposals to field test behavior-integrated designs to promote clean energy activities in New York State. Through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program (HPwES), NYSERDA has helped tens of thousands of homeowners to improve energy performance of existing residential homes. This achievement translates into significant statewide progress toward reducing energy costs and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Professor Caldwell’s project will test an innovative behavior-integrated design to promote HPwES uptake in the Ithaca area. The application of behavior insights and social marketing tools to promote energy efficiency is new within the last five years and has been identified by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) as a key frontier in developing next-generation energy-efficiency programs.  Professor Caldwell will serve as the Director of the behavior research pilot and her role will be to design and oversee the experiment and analyze the results. Dr. Leigh Ann Vaughn of the Psychology department will serve as an expert social psychology consultant on the grant project.