Introduction
SaveEnergyTogether is a LIFE-funded European initiative (2023–2026) that operationalises the Energy Efficiency First (EE1st) principle through a dual strategy: 1) Promote simple energy efficiency interventions (sEEIs)—such as lowering thermostat settings, reducing hot water use, and switching off standby power—that are low-cost, easy to adopt, and immediately impactful. 2) Use these behaviours as entry points for structural improvements (e.g., building retrofits, heating system upgrades) by embedding campaigns in trusted local contexts. The project runs in five pilot regions - Austria (Tyrol), Germany (Allgäu), Lithuania, Portugal, and
Slovenia - and aims to demonstrate that behaviour-driven savings can accelerate decarbonisation, improve comfort, and reduce energy bills without major upfront investments.
Case study profile
Project details
Campaigns leverage nudges, salience cues, social proof, and habit-disruption strategies, supported by visual communication and hands-on learning. Local anchoring: Activities are co-developed with municipalities and regional actors through Campaign Implementation Groups (CIGs), ensuring cultural fit and stakeholder ownership. Inclusive communication: Visual, multilingual formats and participatory workshops target households, SMEs, and public institutions. Scalable design: Modular campaigns (stickers, articles, events, digital tools) enable replication across diverse regions.
Regional highlights: Austria: Heating system checks in municipal buildings, DIY insulation workshops, municipal outreach via article templates, and energy stickers for behavioural cues. Germany: House Viewing Days showcasing real-life renovations, postcard campaigns on heating/ventilation, and school workshops on everyday energy behaviours. Lithuania: “Energy Efficient Home Day” at a city festival featuring a live PV demo and energy consulting marathon, combined with gamified school education. Portugal: Campaigns embedded in social housing projects, aligned with municipal renovation strategies, using interactive outreach and trusted local networks. Slovenia: Innovative cooperation with Tarifnik, the official electricity price comparison tool, to integrate dynamic tariff advice into behavioural campaigns linking energy-saving tips with cost optimisation and demand response.
Behavioural insights
Households and small businesses face rising energy costs and climate targets, yet often overlook low-cost measures due to habitual behaviour, information overload, and perceived complexity. SaveEnergyTogether addresses these barriers by providing locally relevant, behaviourally informed campaigns and embedding them into municipal and regional climate strategies. Targeted behaviours include the following. Habit formation and disruption: Use of seasonal campaigns to time interventions. Cognitive load reduction: Visual, simple messages replacing complex technical information. Motivation levers: Linking comfort, cost savings, and climate benefits.
The programme focused on the following behaviours. Space heating: Lowering setpoints (by 1–2°C), optimising ventilation to prevent heat loss, using heating
schedules. Hot water use: Reducing shower duration, lowering water temperature, switching from baths to showers. Electricity use: Switching off lights, avoiding standby power, using eco programmes on appliances. Seasonal adaptation: Passive cooling strategies to avoid unnecessary AC use. Demand response: In Slovenia,
aligning energy use with tariff signals via Tarifnik integration. All behaviours are low- or no-cost, easy to adopt, and serve as triggers for long-term renovations.
Behavioural techniques used include nudges and salience: stickers on switches/appliances; seasonal postcards; visual cues in public buildings.
Social proof: House Viewing Days in Germany; local champions in Austria and Slovenia. Gamification and rewards: Lottery for PV system in Lithuania; playful sticker distribution through schools. Trusted messengers: Municipalities, energy advisors, and community actors. Personalisation: Tarifnik tool (Slovenia) for tailored tariff advice and energy-saving tips.
Outcomes and impacts
Financial framing and behavioural prompts (Tarifnik integration) significantly increases engagement. Hands-on formats (DIY workshops, live demos) outperform passive information channels. Peer-to-peer exchange (House Viewing Days) builds trust and credibility. The major impacts are increased energy literacy and behavioural adoption. The programme also strengthened local governance role in EE1st and created synergy between behavioural change and structural action. Local anchoring and trust are non-negotiable for engagement. Behavioural cues and financial tools (Tarifnik)amplify impact. Combining analogue and digital channels maximises reach.