Engaging multifamily residents in energy conservation: a toolkit for municipalities to support property managers in long-term behavior change

Abstract

Climate action has spurred a recent uptick in city ordinances and voluntary challenges targeted at reducing energy consumption. Cities are increasingly engaging multifamily properties in energy conservation, focusing on efficient building systems (e.g., HVAC, insulation, lighting). Yet, less focus has been placed on changing resident behavior. People are a key determinant of building efficiency, and engaging residents in energy-related behaviors can have as much, if not more, of an impact than capital investments. This toolkit is designed to support municipalities in engaging multifamily properties in energy conservation. It provides an overview of the social science behind behavior change related to energy conservation and offers resident engagement strategies that municipalities can use to support multifamily property managers. Because every property is different, there is no "one-size-fits-all" strategy for engaging multifamily properties and residents in energy behavior change. This toolkit offers a starting point with best practices, strategies, and templates to guide municipalities in collaborating with property managers to harness the power of residents.