[en] Electricity consumption throughout the world has been rapidly increasing in past decades. However, the current investment trend is showing signs of power supply inadequacy. Hence, many countries have embraced energy efficiency as a partial solution to looming energy problems. In reality, many people are not replacing their household appliances with energy-efficient ones. The use of energy efficient products in Malaysia is still at unsatisfactory level. Hence, this study aims at closing the gap by applying the moral extension of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to examine the determinants of consumers’ purchase intention for energy-efficient household appliances. A survey using self-administered questionnaires was administered to 210 consumers in Penang, Malaysia, and Partial Least Square (PLS) regression was used to test the hypotheses. The findings show that consumer’ more-favorable attitudes toward energy-efficient household appliances and perceived behavioral control significantly influence consumers’ purchase intention for such products. This study also proved the extension of moral norm in the classic theory of planned behavior to be a significant predictor for consumers’ purchase intention. Policy implications like creating awareness for Energy Star Labelling, enhancing Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) and the role of education in nurturing younger generations are addressed. - Highlights: • We studied the purchase intention for energy efficient household appliances. • This study was tested using survey data collected from consumers in Penang, Malaysia. • Attitudes, perceived behavioral control and moral norm affect purchase intention. • Subjective norm, environmental concern, environmental knowledge is not significantly related to purchase intention.

[en] Short communication

[en] This paper focuses on a process to design and build a web-based system to assist staff in day-to-day management and contemporaneous documentation of their work. Other groups that want to use web technology to support their work could apply the approach presented here, but the design itself pertains to a particular set of issues in a unique context. Each user must apply the approach to identify their objectives and design a site to meet them. The main question that the Energy Efficiency Standards Group addressed was: ''How can we facilitate documentation of interim results and final products while conducting a complex, interdependent set of analyses by multiple authors under time pressures for delivering a final product?'' The approach to address this question includes categorization of the components of the work, discussions with staff, development of infrastructure support for documentation, implementation of the documentation process and integration with the workflow, and follow- up with staff. The search for a solution raised a number of issues such as the need for a thorough understanding of the work, consensus building by inclusion of key staff, and deliverable scheduling to allow for contemporaneous documentation. Documentation results vary among the product analyses, from extensive internal and external use to much slower adoption. Complaints include the length of the input forms and pressure from clients to deliver results. But with repeated demand for interim output, the need for thorough contemporaneous documentation still remains. Accordingly, as problems arise there is continued commitment among the staff to address them

[en] Without reinforced energy saving policies, residential consumption of electricity will increase sharply over the next 20 years, in particular, as a result of expected growth in the specific uses of electricity. The main problem is not a lack of energy-efficient technologies, which do indeed exist for electrical appliances, but one of slow diffusion of existing technologies due to the weakness of the price signal and the purchasing behaviour of consumers. In association with energy labelling, minimum energy performance standards have proved to be very effective in stimulating technological progress and organising market transformation. But standards also suffer from long and often difficult implementation periods because of the resistance of the industrial sector. For manufacturers, similar results could be obtained more easily and more rapidly with voluntary agreements because they introduce flexibility margins in the achievement of commitments. This paper analyses the specific advantages of voluntary agreements for improving energy efficiency in the domestic appliances sector. We conclude that voluntary agreements may be an effective instrument for market transformation in certain conditions, but the alternative of regulatory measures must remain a credible, realistic threat if voluntary agreements are to have a really significant impact on performance improvement

[en] Highlights: • S and L regulations are needed to materialize the various benefits of energy efficiency. • S and L regulations can appear in various formats as in the Asia–Pacific region. • Effective regime has to be clear, authoritative, open, and enforceable. • Clear policy, customisation, inclusiveness, transparency and flexibility are desirable. - Abstract: This paper attempts to inform policy makers and legislators on how to set energy efficiency standards and labelling (S and L) regulations. It draws lessons from the literature on S and L regulations in the Asia–Pacific region and from practical experience in drafting the S and L regulations for Brunei Darussalam. The paper proposes necessary components for effective S and L regulations, as follows: clear liabilities, authoritative administration, open principles for technical systems, and enforceable mechanisms. It also recommends some key issues in good practice toward effective S and L regulations, such as policy making in advance, customised legislation, inclusive and transparent legislative procedure, and flexibility in the legislation

[en] The New American Home(reg_sign) is an annual showcase project designed by committee and co-sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders' National Council of the Housing Industry, BUILDERS Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. Hedgewood Properties teamed with Building America's IBACOS Consortium and Southface Energy Institute to build a house with a Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS) level of 90

[en] We analyse optimal environmental policies in a market that is vertically differentiated in terms of the energy efficiency of products. Considering energy taxes, subsidies to firms for investment in more eco-friendly products, and product standards, we are particularly interested in how distributional goals in addition to environmental goals shape the choice of policy instruments. We find that an industry-friendly government levies an energy tax to supplement a lax product standard, but shies away from subsidies to firms. By contrast, a consumer-friendly government relies heavily on a strict product standard and additionally implements a moderate subsidy to firms, but avoids energy taxes. - Highlights: ► We analyse how distributional goals shape environmental policy. ► Firms invest in the energy efficiency of their products and compete in prices. ► An industry-friendly government implements an energy tax and a lax product standard. ► A consumer-friendly government chooses a subsidy to firms instead of an energy tax. ► A consumer-friendly government implements a strict energy efficiency standard

[en] Energy-efficiency standards and labels can be the most effective long-term energy-efficiency policy any government can implement. This paper describes: (1) the benefits that can be obtained through this policy, (2) which countries are implementing standards and labels and for which products, (3) the processes they are using at each step along the way including the reasons why each step must be done carefully and thoroughly, and (4) the relationship of standard-setting and labeling to other energy-efficiency policies

[en] This paper review the diverse energy options available to Nigeria, and presents some traditional arguments for choosing certain energy options above others for large-scale development. The traditional methods of making energy policy decisions may be prone to faulty reasoning and may not be quantitatively assessable. Using the criteria of availability, efficiency of energy conversion and environmental friendliness, a procedure of preference ranking based on expert opinions in suggested for optimizing decision making on the most suitable energy options for Nigeria in the coming decades. A test case utilizing three opinions on the criteria is presented to show how the method works

[en] Canadian provinces have abundant energy resources, but historic energy development decisions have made Canada one of the highest per capita emitters of greenhouse gases in the world. New technologies and distributed network management have created opportunities for conservation and green energy supplies to reduce GHG emissions, but Canada's adoption rate lags behind several other countries. The promise of Ontario's new government to close its coal-fired power plants by 2007 and the aging of its nuclear power plants creates an immediate need for investments in approximately 20,000 MW of capacity over the next decade. Many advocates call for a shift from fossil and nuclear power to renewable energy. Ontario's neighbour, Manitoba, has embarked on a systematic energy plan to reduce fossil fuel use and increase renewables (including new energy efficiency standards, wind, hydro-electricity, biofuels, geothermal heat pumps and electricity exports) so that a net zero emission position can be reached. The paper reviews the green energy initiatives promoted in Manitoba and then considers these as options for Ontario. The conclusion is that Manitoba's plan of systematically linking its energy and economic development choices has created opportunities and lessons for other jurisdictions to also move toward a greener energy future. (author)