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Unpublished Paper
Spillovers from Behavioral Interventions: Experimental Evidence from Water and Energy Use
(2017)
  • Gabriel E. Lade, Iowa State University
  • Katrina Jessoe, University of California, Davis
  • Frank Loge, University of California, Davis
  • Edward Spang, University of California, Davis
Abstract
This paper provides experimental evidence that behavioral interventions spill over to untreated sectors by altering consumer choice. We use a randomized controlled trial and high frequency data to test the effect of social norms messaging about residential water use on electricity consumption. Messaging induces a 2.7% reduction in summertime electricity use. Empirical tests and household survey data support the hypothesis that this nudge alters electricity choices. An engineering simulation suggests that complementarities between appliances that use water and electricity can explain only 15% of the electricity reduction. Incorporating the cross-sectoral spillover increases the cost effectiveness of the intervention by 45%.
Keywords
  • Social Norms; Spillovers; Randomized Controlled Trial; Energy Use; Water Use
Publication Date
Fall August 22, 2017
Citation Information
Gabriel E. Lade, Katrina Jessoe, Frank Loge and Edward Spang. "Spillovers from Behavioral Interventions: Experimental Evidence from Water and Energy Use" (2017)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gabriel-lade/6/