122 M. HAJDINJAK AND D. ASENoVA
All participating households had to open an Energy Saving Account
(ESA). ESA stored and analysed their energy consumption and cost data,
and calculated Co 2 emissions using national Co 2 indexes and climate
factors. This information was used to inform each household about its
environmental impact and to propose concrete actions to lower electricity and heat energy consumption. ECCC gave users tailor-made advice
for modifying the ways they cook, wash, iron and consume water.
The ECCC campaign actively cooperated with media (print, online,
and TV) and was endorsed by numerous corporate actors, municipalities, schools, citizens’ associations and other multipliers. The Bulgarian
ECCC website and social profiles were updated frequently with energy
saving tips, success stories and testimonials from participants. Regular
energy events were organised, including lotteries with sponsored gifts.
The success of the campaign was monitored by brief weekly and more
detailed monthly reports displaying benchmarks in energy consumption
according to different user groups (tenants/owners), different building
types, or different energy sources. The competition ended in April 2012,
when the winners were announced and awarded.
Framing the Energy Challenge
As households account for almost 30% of the Co 2 emissions in the EU,
the central aim of the initiative was to make people aware of their personal impact on the climate change and motivate them to implement
energy improvements in their own situation. Apart from trying to influence and change the individual energy-using actions, the initiative also
had a strong community aspect, as participants were encouraged to compete with other Bulgarian participants, but also as a national team competing with other countries. Householders actively used online tools to
record consumption data, they received feedback on trends, and participated in social media, engaging in discussions and sharing their experiences with energy savings measures. They also attended different events
including lectures, meetings, fairs, and workshops. At the end of the
competition, householders completed an evaluation survey.
The campaign was predominantly successful. Bulgaria achieved better
than planned results in electricity savings (5.81% against 2% targeted),
however, savings of heating energy at 0.52% were considerably lower
than the expected 4%. Partial explanation for this is that electricity consumption per household in Bulgaria is higher than in any other ECCC
All participating households had to open an Energy Saving Account
(ESA). ESA stored and analysed their energy consumption and cost data,
and calculated Co 2 emissions using national Co 2 indexes and climate
factors. This information was used to inform each household about its
environmental impact and to propose concrete actions to lower electricity and heat energy consumption. ECCC gave users tailor-made advice
for modifying the ways they cook, wash, iron and consume water.
The ECCC campaign actively cooperated with media (print, online,
and TV) and was endorsed by numerous corporate actors, municipalities, schools, citizens’ associations and other multipliers. The Bulgarian
ECCC website and social profiles were updated frequently with energy
saving tips, success stories and testimonials from participants. Regular
energy events were organised, including lotteries with sponsored gifts.
The success of the campaign was monitored by brief weekly and more
detailed monthly reports displaying benchmarks in energy consumption
according to different user groups (tenants/owners), different building
types, or different energy sources. The competition ended in April 2012,
when the winners were announced and awarded.
Framing the Energy Challenge
As households account for almost 30% of the Co 2 emissions in the EU,
the central aim of the initiative was to make people aware of their personal impact on the climate change and motivate them to implement
energy improvements in their own situation. Apart from trying to influence and change the individual energy-using actions, the initiative also
had a strong community aspect, as participants were encouraged to compete with other Bulgarian participants, but also as a national team competing with other countries. Householders actively used online tools to
record consumption data, they received feedback on trends, and participated in social media, engaging in discussions and sharing their experiences with energy savings measures. They also attended different events
including lectures, meetings, fairs, and workshops. At the end of the
competition, householders completed an evaluation survey.
The campaign was predominantly successful. Bulgaria achieved better
than planned results in electricity savings (5.81% against 2% targeted),
however, savings of heating energy at 0.52% were considerably lower
than the expected 4%. Partial explanation for this is that electricity consumption per household in Bulgaria is higher than in any other ECCC