Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, released the third edition of its consumer survey in a white paper titled Evolving home energy consumption: Intentions, actions and hurdles to greater home energy efficiency. It surveyed 13,000 people from 11 countries across the world, with 1,000 respondents from India, uncovering global attitudes toward household energy efficiency, sustainability and smart home technology.

Home energy consumption is the main driver of home emissions and has increased steadily over recent years with the spread of energy-consuming devices and appliances. This trend, coupled with skyrocketing energy costs and dramatic real-life impacts of climate change, has driven awareness of home energy consumption.

Given this, the report focuses on behaviours, barriers and readiness to adopt energy-saving solutions. Notably, this year’s results highlight a wide gap between awareness and action. 82% of respondents consider energy efficiency "somewhat important" or "very important," whilst 84% said energy efficiency is the top desired home improvement, and 70 per cent responded that reducing their carbon footprint is ‘important’ to them.

However, only a few are taking the most impactful actions to reduce their energy consumption; just 44 per cent regularly adjust their ambient temperatures, despite this being one of the highest-impact actions. At the same time, 58 per cent of homeowners turn off lights as their primary strategy for saving energy, while lighting only comprising around 5 per cent of electricity bills. The second-most popular method, unplugging unused chargers (48 per cent), also has minimal impact — saving only $0.26 per charger annually.

The report reveals another overemphasis on lighting when it comes to the types of home energy technology consumers have in their homes, with 52 per cent of consumers believing that smart lighting enhances energy efficiency. While 24 per cent own smart lighting, only 21% have a smart thermostat, with less than half (46 per cent) acknowledging its energy-saving benefits, despite evidence showing it could reduce bills by up to 30 per cent annually.

For the first time, the survey explored attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI). Despite predictions that AI and automation could help mitigate up to 10 per cent of global GHG emissions, 44 per cent of respondents said they would never rely on AI for household tasks, 35 per cent don’t fully understand it, and 41 per cent want to actively avoid it. In addition, 52 per cent believe smart home technology is too expensive, even though connected homes can achieve energy savings of up to 22 per cent.

The survey also shows an awareness gap for more traditional home technology: 30% of respondents don’t know what their electrical panel does, and 16 per cent don’t know its location. The electrical panel is at the heart of the home’s power system and acts as the gatekeeper for ensuring the safety of electrical devices and appliances, therefore this lack of knowledge poses potential serious safety risks if the condition of the panel is ignored as homes become more electrified.

Sumati Sahgal, Vice President, Retail, Schneider Electric India, said, “While there is an intent from consumer for increase energy efficiency, there is a crucial gap between awareness and action. While a majority of consumers recognize the importance of energy efficiency, the most impactful solutions remain underutilised. As India moves towards a more sustainable and electrified future, it is imperative to empower homeowners with the right knowledge of how to bring efficiency in their energy consumption. At Schneider Electric, we are committed to bridging this gap by offering innovative, connected solutions like WISER that offers easy and scalable automation for enhanced comfort and convenience along with advanced energy management capabilities.”

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