Research from Ecova Shows Quality and Awareness Key for Utility Lighting Programs

As new energy-efficient lighting legislation comes into effect, lighting planning studies offer key insights on customer preferences and the need for innovative efficiency programs

SPOKANE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ecova, a total energy and sustainability management company, today announced the findings from Adaptive Self-Explicated Multi-Attribute Preference (ASEMAP) surveys that identified key customer preferences when purchasing light bulbs for residential use.

“The results of our surveys show that consumers will continue to benefit from lower utility costs via utility programs designed to reduce residential lighting energy use through innovative lighting efficiency programs”

According to the ASEMAP surveys, price and longevity were consistently the leading considerations for consumers purchasing light bulbs, regardless of the type of bulb. In the utility regions surveyed, however, annual energy savings is also becoming increasingly important, ranking third for most applications. The relative importance of the top five purchase drivers for the lighting applications surveyed are presented in Figure 1.

“The results of our surveys show that consumers will continue to benefit from lower utility costs via utility programs designed to reduce residential lighting energy use through innovative lighting efficiency programs,” said Ted Schultz, senior vice president of strategy and innovation, Ecova. “We strive to help utilities understand their customers’ preferences and deliver market-leading technologies cost-effectively with a positive customer experience.”

As federal lighting standards come into effect, general purpose CFLs still provide significant savings opportunities for a large portion of household lighting applications, but as CFLs reach market saturation, promotional efforts may not be as successful. Fortunately, high efficiency LED and 2X halogen light bulbs are hitting the market, and these light bulbs have multiple applications that will appeal to consumers in a wide variety of sockets within homes. Utility programs will play a large role in spurring adoption of these new technologies and educating consumers. Utility lighting programs will be more successful if they incentivize high quality products that have all the characteristics of incandescent light bulbs, such as being compatible with dimmers and motion detectors, for a positive consumer experience. View the research report and for more information visit http://www.ecova.com/nextgen/index.html.

In addition to this recent report, Ecova has conducted extensive research on the best energy efficient lighting options, including ENERGY STAR LED reflector lamps. In this study, Ecova identified ten best in class LEDs to include in lighting programs – those that will save energy AND meet or exceed customers’ performance expectations. This research is available on the Edison Foundation’s Institute for Electric Efficiencies website at http://www.edisonfoundation.net/iee/Documents/IEE_Ecova_LED.pdf.

About Ecova

Ecova is the total energy and sustainability management company whose sole purpose is to see more, save more, and sustain more for its clients. Using insights based on consumption, cost and carbon footprint data spanning thousands of utilities, hundreds of thousands of business sites and millions of households, Ecova provides fully managed, technology-optimized solutions for saving resources, which in turn increase returns, lower risks, and enhance reputations. Ecova is the largest non-regulated subsidiary of Avista Corp (NYSE: AVA and avistacorp.com). For more information, visit the company’s website at ecova.com, on LinkedIn at linkd.in/ecovainc, or follow Ecova on Twitter at @ecovainc.