Energy efficient appliances and energy efficient behaviors: from consumer's assessment to behavior intervention

Nowadays, everyone talks about energy and energy use. The fact that almost all our actions require energy is becoming a threat not only to world resources but also to countries that need to assure energy for their population to use, either by producing it or buying it to other countries. Accordingly, studies that allow countries to know more about how people use energy mainly regarding how people choose appliances that consume energy, and how they use such appliances, are increasingly requested. So are the subsequent suggestions on policies, energy managing systems, and programs that shape behavior, which allow improving energy efficiency and reduce energy use. This chapter presents two studies developed in the last three years which aim to provide such knowledge and advices. Promotion 3E regards a European project focused on increasing the knowledge about how different groups choose home appliances and how to use such knowledge to promote selling more energy efficient appliances. It was supported by the Intelligent Energy Europe - IEE program. EcoIPSS refers to a project developed in Portugal aiming to know more on how people use home appliances and how to improve energy-saving behaviors, in private institutions of social solidarity (IPSS). It was supported by the Regulatory Authority of Energy Services in Portugal (ERSE) and promoted by EDP Comercial and developed by Quercus in partnership with Factor Social.Methodological steps and the most significant results will be provided for each study. Main conclusions will be reported including advices for policy making, research, and energy-saving programmes.