A new consumer survey by Schneider Electric reveals a significant gap between homeowners’ awareness of energy efficiency and their actual actions to reduce energy consumption.
Despite 70% of respondents acknowledging the importance of lowering their carbon footprint, most still rely on small-scale efforts, such as turning off lights, which accounts for only 5% of an average household’s energy bill.
Meanwhile, only 44% regularly adjust their home’s ambient temperature—a step that could make a much larger impact, as heating and cooling make up over half of household energy use.
Schneider Electric, a leader in energy management and automation, has published the third edition of its consumer survey in a white paper titled Evolving Home Energy Consumption: Intentions, Actions, and Hurdles to Greater Home Energy Efficiency.
The survey, conducted across 13,000 participants in 11 countries, explores consumer attitudes toward energy-saving behaviors, sustainability, and smart home technology.
Energy Awareness vs. Action: A Growing Divide
Home energy consumption continues to rise with the increasing number of electronic devices and appliances. While global energy costs surge and climate change intensifies, consumer awareness about energy efficiency has grown significantly.
The report highlights that 82% of respondents consider energy efficiency at least “somewhat important,” with 84% ranking it as their top home improvement priority. Additionally, 70% say reducing their carbon footprint matters to them.
However, despite these concerns, only a minority take meaningful action. For example, 58% of homeowners primarily save energy by switching off lights, even though lighting contributes only a small fraction of overall electricity bills.
Similarly, 48% unplug unused chargers, which saves just $0.26 per charger annually. Meanwhile, impactful measures—such as adjusting home temperatures—remain underutilized.
Smart Home Technology and Consumer Perception
The survey also highlights a gap in understanding energy-efficient home technologies. While 52% of consumers believe smart lighting improves efficiency, only 24% own smart lighting systems. Even fewer—21%—have smart thermostats, despite evidence showing they can cut energy bills by up to 30%.
For the first time, the study examined attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI) in home energy management.
While AI-driven automation has the potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by up to 10%, 44% of respondents expressed reluctance to rely on AI for household tasks, with 35% admitting they don’t fully understand the technology and 41% actively avoiding it.
Additionally, 52% of homeowners perceive smart home technology as too expensive, despite its potential to cut energy use by 22%.
A surprising finding in the survey was the lack of awareness surrounding traditional home energy systems. Around 30% of respondents admitted they don’t know the function of their home’s electrical panel, while 16% are unaware of its location—posing potential safety risks as homes become increasingly electrified.
Bridging the Gap: The Role of Electrification and Digitalization
Michael Lotfy Gierges, Executive Vice President of Home & Distribution at Schneider Electric, emphasized the need for greater awareness and adoption of energy-saving solutions. “Consumers want to reduce their energy bills, improve energy reliability, and enhance efficiency in their homes. However, there remains a significant gap between intention and action. The technology exists today, but many are unaware of how to best implement it,” he stated.
Through increased electrification and digitalization, households can better measure, control, and transition their energy use toward more renewable sources.