This research investigated the appearance of words and phrases relating to solar technologies in advertising to examine the effectiveness of a market led policy for the diffusion of energy efficient technologies in the Victorian housing market . The research question posed was ; how are advertisements promoting solar technologies influenced by government policy ? Results show that the market is not yet paying significant regard to solar technologies and therefore not responding to the government ’ s objective of a market led adoption of energy efficient housing . Advertisements describing solar technologies whilst present are disproportionate to the number of potential properties that could include such words and phrases .
This research is unique in using real estate agent advertisements to reflect market activity and buyer attitudes towards energy efficient housing . Real estate agents aim to promote the characteristics they believe will be most attractive to homebuyers . Therefore if solar technologies were ‘ front of mind ’ to the buyers , textual phrases relating to such technologies ought be found within advertisements . The findings suggest that little progress has been made towards the diffusion of energy efficient paradigms into the housing market . This in turn implies that indirect action policies are not likely to make any significant contribution towards the reduction of carbon emissions in the residential sector , at least in the foreseeable future . It is the opinion of the researchers that government must take a direct approach to this important issue .
Further studies that investigate reasons for the low level of market promotion of solar and energy efficient technologies in the housing sector are likely to provide perspectives that could further inform this research . This research is part of a broader project to investigate market / demographic characteristics and acceptance of energy efficient technologies and the limitations apparent in this article are acknowledged .
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