Mid-term conference, 28 th June 2010 Alan Watt CEU Socio-economic research within the Staccato project

Overview of socio-economic research 3 research sub-components: social, financing, policy Financing and policy research in second half of project, first reports due end of 2010 Social research primarily focuses on resident surveys before and after retrofit

Progress to date on social research Amsterdam pre-retrofit survey begun but incomplete (c.100 responses) Obuda questionnaire survey completed summer 2009: 295 responses (c. 1/3 households) Qualitative interviews Obuda in March 2010 Oborishte pre-retrofit survey planned 2010 H2

Research findings

Pre-renovation Satisfaction levels – energy costs

Fuel poverty

Satisfaction with comfort Significant (80%) dissatisfaction with comfort in summer in Obuda; far less (<25%) dissatisfaction with comfort in winter 20% dissatisfied with comfort in Amsterdam

Energy-saving behaviour Surveyed residents demonstrated positive energy-saving behaviour, e.g.: 2/3 in Obuda always check the energy label when purchasing new appliances (40% Amsterdam) 80% always turn off the light when they are not in a room (85% Amsterdam)

Usefulness of retrofit project

Anticipated disruption

Quantity of information

Desired extra information on...

Expectations: electricity bills

Expectations: heating costs

Willingness to pay About 60% of Obuda residents would (or already did) carry out energy efficiency renovation of their apartments individually, outside of the Staccato project 40% would not have done it except as part of this block-wide project – and this category also attached somewhat less importance to energy saving than the respondents as a whole

Post-retrofit interviews 12 interviews were conducted in March 2010 with Obuda residents to assess their immediate reactions to the retrofit Interviewees were still very positive, found it had met their expectations They anticipated a significant improvement in their financial position, especially due to the higher value of their apartments

Post-retrofit interviews (contd) They also reported significant falls in energy bills, in the range of 30-60% Most had taken out bank loans, but found the conditions manageable The renovation process had not caused major problems, though minor problems such as cracked tiles were mentioned