• questions about label recognition
• understanding of the label
• self-reported purchasing of ENERGY STAR-labeled products
• sources of information about high-efficiency products
• the value accrued to the label in the eyes of consumers or "brand equity"

When CEE first fielded its ENERGY STAR survey in 2000, only 41 percent of households across the nation recognized the label, and only 37 percent demonstrated a high level of understanding of the label.

Now, at the national level...

• Seventy-six percent of households recognized the ENERGY STAR label when shown the label.
• Seventy-eight percent of households had a high or general understanding of the label’s purpose.
• Sixty-three percent of households associated the ENERGY STAR label with "efficiency or energy savings."
• For 76 percent of the households that recognized the ENERGY STAR label and knowingly purchased an ENERGY STAR-labeled product, the label influenced at least one of their purchase decisions "very much" or "somewhat."

• Sixty-eight percent of households in high-publicity areas associated the ENERGY STAR label with "efficiency or energy savings," compared with 55 percent of households in low-publicity areas.
• Eighty percent of households in high-publicity areas recognized the label versus 70 percent in low-publicity areas.

Each year, CEE members may choose to sponsor the data collection.

Survey sponsors meet monthly in the months leading up to the survey (which is fielded in September) in order to plan the year's effort and make adjustments to the survey instrument. Survey sponsors have the option of conducting oversamples in their state or service territory for the marginal cost of the additional cases, and of adding questions to the survey instrument sent to oversample cases.

For further information about sponsoring the survey, survey logistics and some general trends over time, see the ENERGY STAR Awareness Survey Fact Sheet. There are also links for papers that describe particular aspects of ENERGY STAR awareness and other measures of progress produced by CEE and its members.

The following organizations generously sponsored CEE's 2008 ENERGY STAR survey:

• Bonneville Power Administration
• Cape Light Compact
• Long Island Power Authority
• Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
• National Grid New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
• New York State Energy Research & Development Authority
• Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
• NSTAR Electric
• Pacific Gas and Electric
• San Diego Gas and Electric
• Southern California Edison
• Tennessee Valley Authority
• Wisconsin Focus on Energy
• Xcel Energy

NRCAN's Tracking Study: Awareness of ENERGY STAR/ EnerGuide Symbols 2006

In November 2001, the Office of Energy Efficiency at Natural Resources Canada approached Ipsos-Reid to conduct a survey to establish a benchmark of pre-launch awareness of ENERGY STAR, an international high-efficiency initiative that the department was introducing in Canada, as well as to track awareness of EnerGuide, an existing Natural Resources program.

As part of its ongoing commitment to monitor program effectiveness, NRCan conducts regular surveys to take the pulse of the Canadian public and track changes in awareness of the two programs, thereby gauging the effectiveness of the initiative and of the supporting promotional campaigns conducted by the department and various participants in the initiative.

This research represents the sixth wave of testing conducted since November 2001. Earlier research was also conducted in May 2005, November 2004, September 2003 and January 2003.

This wave of the study has been conducted to support NRCan's on-going evaluation of the ENERGY STAR and EnerGuide programs. Results through three previous waves of tracking surveys from 2001-2004 have shown marked increase in awareness among the Canadian population.

The present survey gathered information on Canadians' awareness and understanding of and reaction to the ENERGY STAR symbol and the EnerGuide program.

BC Hydro's 2006 ENERGY STAR® AWARENESS Baseline Survey Results

This study collects baseline data on the awareness and understanding of the Energy Star® Label among British Columbia consumers. This research supports the Power Smart residential energy acquisition strategy and program planning, and contributes to BC Hydro's long-term demand-side management strategy to promote conservation. In order to transform the market, energy efficient technologies need to be made more available, awareness of them increased, access and affordability improved, and consumer acceptance more widespread.

PAPERS

Progress Towards Loyalty: Trends in ENERGY STAR Awareness and Brand Equity Among U.S. Households, 2000-2008 (Nevius, McNamara, Spielman & Barry 2008)

Steps On the Path to Loyalty: An Assessment of ENERGY STAR Brand Equity Indicators. (Nevius 2006)

Shopping For an Education: The Added Value of Point-of-Purchase Materials. (Nevius & Feldman 2004)

ENERGY STAR Survey 2001: Implications for the ENERGY STAR Program and Program Partners. (Nevius, Goldberg & McNamara 2002)