English Abstract The Lifestyle project (funded in NRP-1) studied energy
requirements of entire household consumption patterns. There, it was
concluded that a substantial reduction potential existed for the total
household energy requirement and related greenhouse gas emissions. The
GreenHouse project, reported in here, paid attention to the possibilities of
achieving this potential and the effects thereof on the households and the
production sectors. The research question required integration of
methodologies originating from both energy studies as well as household
studies. A large number of reduction options within the present household
practices were identified, including changes in purchase behaviour and
changes in household behaviour. Implementation of all these options would
result in a 27 % reduction of the national emissions by the Netherlands.
Implementation of feasible efficiency improvements in the production sectors
would result in a 30 % reduction of national emissions. The combination of
both reduction routes would result in a 54 % reduction of the national
emissions. Which shows the existence of a large potential for change.
However, it is found that the general acceptance of the suggested options by
households is low. The findings imply that the feasible reduction as a
result of changing consumption patterns lies in order of 5%. Further
research showed that households face several constraints to change to an
energy efficient lifestyle. Firstly necessary knowledge is lacking.
Secondly the opportunities to purchase efficient household appliances are
limited. Thirdly present infrastructures impede households to chose an
energy efficient lifestyle and social norms are limiting individual
households to adopt an environmental friendly behaviour. The knowledge
obtained with respect to constraints perceived in households is used to
formulate recommendations to improve feasibility of energy efficient
lifestyles.
