Majority value energy efficiency, 82% rate it as important

According to a report from Schneider Electric, homeowners are not leveraging available technology to reduce energy costs and emissions.

Schneider Electric released a report uncovering global attitudes toward household energy efficiency, sustainability and smart home technology. It surveyed 13,000 people from 11 countries worldwide, with 1000 respondents from India. While 70 percent acknowledge the need to reduce their carbon footprint, most adopt only small-scale solutions. The most common energy-saving habit—turning off lights—contributes just 5 percent to energy savings. In contrast, adjusting ambient temperature, which impacts over half of household energy use, is practiced by only 44 percent of respondents. The findings highlight a gap between awareness and action, emphasising the need for smarter, more effective energy management strategies to drive real sustainability in homes.

Home energy technology

The report reveals another overemphasis on lighting regarding the types of home energy technology consumers have in their homes. 52 percent of consumers believe that smart lighting enhances energy efficiency. While 24 percent own smart lighting, only 21 percent have a smart thermostat, and less than half (46 percent) acknowledge its energy-saving benefits, despite evidence showing it could reduce bills by up to 30 percent annually.

The survey explored attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI). Despite predictions that AI and automation could help mitigate up to 10 percent of global GHG emissions, 44 percent of respondents said they would never rely on AI for household tasks, 35 percent don’t fully understand it, and 41 percent want to avoid it actively. In addition, 52 percent believe smart home technology is too expensive, even though connected homes can achieve energy savings of up to 22 percent.

The report further shows an awareness gap for more traditional home technology: 30 percent of respondents don’t know what their electrical panel does, and 16 percent are unaware of its location. The electrical panel is at the heart of the home’s power system and acts as the gatekeeper for ensuring the safety of electrical devices and appliances. Therefore, this lack of knowledge poses potential serious safety risks if the condition of the panel is ignored as homes become more electrified.

Sumati Sahgal, Vice President of Retail at Schneider Electric India, said, “While consumers are intent on increasing energy efficiency, there is a crucial gap between awareness and action. While most consumers recognise the importance of energy efficiency, the most impactful solutions remain underutilised.”

“As India moves towards a more sustainable and electrified future, it is imperative to empower homeowners with the right knowledge to bring efficiency to their energy consumption. At Schneider Electric, we are committed to bridging this gap by offering innovative, connected solutions like WISER that offer easy and scalable automation for enhanced comfort and convenience and advanced energy management capabilities.”

The gap between awareness and action

Energy consumption is the main driver of emissions and has increased steadily over recent years with the spread of energy-consuming devices and appliances. This trend, coupled with skyrocketing energy costs and dramatic real-life impacts of climate change, has driven awareness of home energy consumption.

Given this, the report focuses on behaviours, barriers and readiness to adopt energy-saving solutions. Notably, the results highlight a wide gap between awareness and action. 82 percent of respondents consider energy efficiency “somewhat important” or “very important,” whilst 84 percent said it is the top desired home improvement, and 70 percent responded that reducing their carbon footprint is ‘important’ to them.

However, only a few are taking the most impactful actions to reduce their energy consumption; just 44 percent regularly adjust their ambient temperatures, despite this being one of the highest-impact actions. At the same time, 58 percent of homeowners turn off lights as their primary energy-saving strategy, while lighting only comprises around 5 percent of electricity bills. The second-most popular method, unplugging unused chargers (48 percent), also has minimal impact — saving only $0.26 per charger annually.