78 J. BACKHAUS
support and finances, to evaluate the possibility of maintaining a lowcarbon lifestyle in a scenario of economic growth and increased personal
wealth.
Outcomes and Outputs
The goal of the Perspective project was a 40% reduction in energy use
compared to similar households in less efficient homes. An average of
43% of reduction was accomplished, about half resulting from reductions in direct, and half from indirect energy use. Miniscule monitoring was done through meter readings as well as the careful registering
of all products bought, and services used. The registering of product
purchases was made somewhat easier by means of a self-learning system with barcode reader, which required the manual entering of data
only the first time an item from the supermarket was scanned. All subsequent scans were then automatically registered. Some products had
to be weighed in the monitoring process. In addition, interviews were
conducted to gain insights into people’s emotions and experiences,
for example with respect to comfort and well-being and the value they
attach to different consumption categories. Personal coaches took note
of dilemmas people faced, such as the desire of wanting to go to a faraway place for vacation and, due to their commitment to the project, the
requirement to take a low-energy holiday instead.
overall, households reached the target by reducing their direct and
indirect energy use and—simulating potential effects of economic growth
on households—increasing their level of spending and well-being. They
achieved a reduction in energy use in all categories measured: transport,
food, living, hygiene, clothing and leisure. Monetary spending increased
in the categories of food and living and decreased in the categories of
direct energy use and leisure (Project Team Perspective 1999).
ConCLusion
The catalogue of exemplary SECIs presented in this chapter did not
aim to be representative of all sustainable energy initiatives in the
Netherlands, yet a heavy focus on technological solutions and individual
support and finances, to evaluate the possibility of maintaining a lowcarbon lifestyle in a scenario of economic growth and increased personal
wealth.
Outcomes and Outputs
The goal of the Perspective project was a 40% reduction in energy use
compared to similar households in less efficient homes. An average of
43% of reduction was accomplished, about half resulting from reductions in direct, and half from indirect energy use. Miniscule monitoring was done through meter readings as well as the careful registering
of all products bought, and services used. The registering of product
purchases was made somewhat easier by means of a self-learning system with barcode reader, which required the manual entering of data
only the first time an item from the supermarket was scanned. All subsequent scans were then automatically registered. Some products had
to be weighed in the monitoring process. In addition, interviews were
conducted to gain insights into people’s emotions and experiences,
for example with respect to comfort and well-being and the value they
attach to different consumption categories. Personal coaches took note
of dilemmas people faced, such as the desire of wanting to go to a faraway place for vacation and, due to their commitment to the project, the
requirement to take a low-energy holiday instead.
overall, households reached the target by reducing their direct and
indirect energy use and—simulating potential effects of economic growth
on households—increasing their level of spending and well-being. They
achieved a reduction in energy use in all categories measured: transport,
food, living, hygiene, clothing and leisure. Monetary spending increased
in the categories of food and living and decreased in the categories of
direct energy use and leisure (Project Team Perspective 1999).
ConCLusion
The catalogue of exemplary SECIs presented in this chapter did not
aim to be representative of all sustainable energy initiatives in the
Netherlands, yet a heavy focus on technological solutions and individual