The Tenant Engagement on Sustainability Guide for ... - BC Housing

LIVEGREEN TENANT ENGAGEMENT ONSUSTAINABILITY—FOCUS ON ENERGYCONSERVATIONGUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERSThis guide consists of two main sections. We recommend that these sections bereviewed in their entirety before beginning a livegreen TES initiative:PART I: Overview of livegreen <strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong> on Sustainability (TES):This section answers the questions of why this initiative is important, whatthe initiative aims to achieve, and what key points might be considered. Itintroduces the background and goals of livegreen TES and describes the pilotproject on which this guide is based. It also discusses key aspects to considerbefore starting this project, the engagement and behaviour change approachthat is recommended, and how to set the project up to evaluate success fromthe very beginning.PART II: Management and Resources: This section describes how to begin thisinitiative, including what capacities and resources are required. It describes howto assess conservation behaviours for potential barriers and stronger benefits,ways to begin engaging staff and tenants in the initiative, and a high level map ofengagement strategies to use.Workshop facilitationSupporting the two main sections of the guide are:APPENDICES: A number of appendices provide more details about the research,energy data, and evaluation process that were conducted when developing thelivegreen TES pilot initiative. This information is included here in case you wouldlike to repeat this research, or for your reference if you would like to developresearch specific to your own housing site.GLOSSARY: A glossary of terms can be found at the end of this guide.A livegreen TES Facilitators’ Handbook for Social Housing Providers has beendeveloped to accompany this guide. It is targeted to site staff who will be directlyengaging the tenants. <strong>The</strong> purpose of the Facilitators’ Handbook is to providestaff with tangible methods and resources for supporting behaviour change anddesigning livegreen TES engagement activities.<strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong> on SustainabilityFACILITATORS HANDBOOKFOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERSFocus on Energy ConservationVersion 1 | March 2012TES Facilitators HandbookWorkshop facilitation5 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

PART I: OVERVIEW OF LIVEGREEN TENANTENGAGEMENT ON SUSTAINABILITY1. INTRODUCTIONThis guide is based on a pilot study conducted on three BC Housing sites, referredto as the livegreen TES — <strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong> on Sustainability initiative. Thispilot demonstrated that tenants, when provided with the support and opportunityto make a difference, can contribute to significant energy savings throughbehaviour changes at home and in their community.$Studies on energy savings through behavioural changes focusing on low incomepopulations document potential for a two to ten per cent reduction of utility coststhrough energy savings. 1 For a social housing agency, this can mean:• cost and energy savings at sites where there’s been no or minimal upgrade/retrofit work done; as well as• increased probability of realising full projected savings either at sites thathave undergone major structural and technological improvements, and atnew sites.Results from the livegreen <strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong> on Sustainability (TES) pilotdemonstrate savings of 3.5% overall for the pilot sites during the door-to-doorenergy pledge drive from October to December 2011. <strong>The</strong> average savings atthese sites 2 was 5% for the month of December (which was the overall energyreduction target for the pilot project).This livegreen TES engagement approach can also result in increased confidenceand self-determination for tenants when they take action with others towardsbuilding a healthier community and environment. This pilot project demonstratedthat the sustainability message resonated with tenants, with participation in theinitiative resulting in improved relationships, new knowledge, and strengthenedcommunity development.Figure 1 shows the benefits of the livegreen TES initiative, even at housing siteswhere tenants face multiple barriers (e.g. language, physical ability, mentalhealth, food insecurity, poverty, and/or trauma). It also underlines how difficult itis to achieve energy savings at social housing sites, and the need for significanton-site support if energy reductions are to be achieved. For information on howsavings were tracked for the project, see Appendix E.IMPROVEHEALTHOFTENANTS$SAVEMONEYANDCON-SERVEENERGYBUILDCOMM-UNITYENGAGE-MENTREDUCEGREEN-HOUSEGASEMIS-SIONSFig 1. Benefits of the TES livegreen Initiative1 For example: D. Carroll & J. Berger, (2008) Transforming Energy Behavior of Households: Evidencefrom Low-Income Energy Education Programs2 While there are three separate sites for this pilot project, in terms of energy savings, pilot sites #2 and#3 (see chart below) are on the same energy bill, so no distinction can be drawn between these two interms of discrete energy reductions.6 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

1.1 Objectives of livegreen TESThis initiative has three main objectives (as presented in Table 1 below), along withactivities and outcomes related to each objective.OBJECTIVES ACTIVITY OUTCOMESReduce utilitycosts, energyconsumptionand greenhousegas emissions.Increasecommunitycapacity.Increase tenantwell-being andsatisfaction.Conserve heat, hotwater & electricity.Enhance tenantactivities that buildindividual andcommunity capacitythrough education,mentorship, andskills building.Enhanceengagementopportunities thatmeet tenants’ needsthrough relationshipand trust building, asense of belonging,and social inclusion.• Save money on buildingheating and cooling (utility)costs.• Increase energy efficiency inthe building.• Reduce greenhouse gasemissions.• <strong>Engagement</strong> opportunitiesresonate with the tenants’values.• <strong>Tenant</strong>s learn new knowledgeand skills.• Increase in the ability oftenants to take care of theirown needs (e.g. willingnessto connect with neighbours,participate in communityactivities and ability toreplace a light bulb).• <strong>Tenant</strong>s tangibly contribute tocommunity building projects.• <strong>Tenant</strong>s feel empowered tomake a difference for theenvironment and futuregenerations.• <strong>Tenant</strong>s strengthenrelationships withneighbours.• <strong>Tenant</strong>s save money ontheir energy bills (if they areresponsible for their ownbills).Table 1. Objectives of livegreen TES Initiative7 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

1.2 What is Sustainability?‘Sustainability’ has become a buzz word that encompasses everything fromenergy conservation to local food initiatives. But what does sustainability meanfor social housing?Sustainability integrates environmental, economic, social, and healthconsiderations into how we live and make decisions. Working towardssustainability means maximizing outcomes in all of these areas, rather thanaddressing each one in isolation from the other.PERSONALHEALTH ANDWELL-BEINGENERGYCONSERVATIONHEALTHYENVIRONMENTCOMMUNITYDEVELOPMENTFig 2. Benefits of the TES livegreen InitiativeThis guide is focused specifically on how sustainability relates to energyconservation. <strong>The</strong>re may be other aspects of sustainability that you are interestedin engaging tenants on in the future, such as food security or waste reduction.While these areas are beyond the scope of this guide, we encourage you toconsider how the skills, relationships, and knowledge gleaned from this pilot cansupport sustainability initiatives relating to other issues as well.Because the livegreen TES initiative aims to affect environmental, economic,and social outcomes, it is necessary for different departments or functionsof a social housing organization to collaborate closely. However, the work ofbuilding the capacity of operations staff and tenant engagement staff oftentakes place separately, often in the same building. In order to create effectivetenant engagement resulting in energy conservation, the operations and tenantstaff need to work together. This initiative is about ‘making the links’ betweenopportunities to engage tenants, positively develop the community, and reduceutility costs by saving energy. When done well this initiative can have positiveresults in terms of lower utility costs, increased tenant engagement, overallsatisfaction, and higher sense of community.A pilot site8 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

1.3 Background of the livegreen TES PilotThis guide was developed from the lessons learned in a pilot project. <strong>The</strong>livegreen TES pilot initiative took place between November 2010 and March 2012,with three social housing sites managed by BC Housing, located in the LowerMainland. <strong>The</strong> purpose of this pilot was to design, implement, and evaluatea strategy that engages the tenant population on sustainability, focusing onbuilding energy conservation behaviours.<strong>The</strong> pilot sites were chosen alongside various criteria, including whetherthe buildings had: i) a recent energy retrofit; ii) a common space; iii) on-sitestaff support; and iv) the potential to save greenhouse gas emissions. <strong>The</strong>characteristics of the pilot sites are provided here so that housing providers cancompare the building and tenant characteristics with their own.Some important characteristics of the pilot sites are:• None of the sites had undergone any recent major energy retrofits, thusenergy savings in the pilot can clearly be attributed to tenant and staffbehaviour change.• Two out of the three sites have a common space where the tenants can meet.One site does not have a common meeting area for tenants, so engagementactivities took place off-site or on the site’s outdoor grounds.• <strong>The</strong> level of staff support provided varied across the three sites, from nonexistentto part-time and full-time staff support.<strong>The</strong> livegreen ‘community storytelling’ treeCHARACTERISTICS PILOT SITE #1 PILOT SITE #2 PILOT SITE #3Year built 1977 1969 1969# of Units 118 100 54 townhousesAdult / Family Adult only Adult only FamilyOn-site tenant support Full-time Part-time NoneCommon space for activities Yes Yes Outdoor space onlyPercentage of tenants thatregularly participate inexisting programming~ 10-15% ~ 10-30% ~ 10-30%<strong>Tenant</strong> populationcharacteristicsMulticultural; physical andmental health barriers; ESL;interest and skills in thearts.Multicultural; physicaland mental healthbarriers; ESL; poverty;interest and skills in thearts.Families (mainly single parentfamilies); multicultural; youngchildren; physical and mentalhealth barriers; interest inactivities for children.Pre-pilot energy savingstrategiesInstallation of low-flowshower heads, CFL bulbs,boiler upgradeInstallation of low-flowshower heads, CFLbulbs, boiler upgradeInstallation of low-flow showerheads, CFL bulbs, boilerupgradeTable 2. Characteristics of Pilot SitesThis guide shares the practical steps, strategies, outcomes, and lessons learnedfrom the pilot project. We recognize that the time, resources, and capacity foreach housing site is unique. This is why we hope that the research, design, andstrategies of the pilot can be adapted to the distinct context of your community9 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

and building. For example, some organizations may not have the time orresources to undertake site-specific research on barriers to energy conservation.Rather than skipping this step, we encourage you to consider the findings for thispilot project and the transferability of this information to your own building andtenant population.2. KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR LIVEGREEN TESHow do you know if you are ready to begin a livegreen TES initiative on your site?We have identified six main areas that are important to consider at the outset:1. COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY;2. CRITERIA FOR SITE SELECTION;3. THE POTENTIAL TO BUILD ON EXISTING INITIATIVES;4. THE CAPACITY OF THE TENANTS;5. THE CAPACITY OF THE STAFF; AND6. THE POTENTIAL FOR ENERGY SAVINGS AND MONITORING IN THEBUILDING.Each of these areas is discussed below.2.1 Commitment to SustainabilityEvery organization and community manifests its own internal culture and set ofrules—the ‘way things are done around here’. <strong>The</strong> norms of an organization reflectwhat’s important and the values that guide decision making. A commitment tosustainability means being explicit about the values that guide ‘what we do andhow we do it’. In this sense, sustainability is more of a process than an outcome.While the process of developing a livegreen tenant engagement initiative may‘look’ different in each organization, evidence shows that a strong commitment tosustainability from senior management is critical for setting the tone.Banner from livegreen community workshopCOMMITMENTTOSUSTAINABILITYSENIORMANAGEMENTSETS THE TONESTAFF MODELGREENBEHAVIOURSFig 3. Organizational Commitment to SustainabilityCommitment shown by tenant10 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

2.2 Criteria for Site SelectionSocial housing providers and their staff will have varying levels of capacity,resources, and time to begin a livegreen TES initiative. We suggest that thefollowing criteria be considered in determining if livegreen TES is a good fit foryour site:1. <strong>The</strong> site should offer some kind of tenant support (i.e. internal or external).This could be provided by a partner organization, a community developer, ora recreation programmer. Most importantly, an individual ‘champion’ holdsresponsibility for outreach and engagement with tenants.2. You will need access to indoor common space (on-site) or nearby communityspace for tenant engagement activities (onsite is preferred). <strong>Engagement</strong> willbe most successful when there is a shared space such as a building lounge orcommon room where tenants feel comfortable and welcomed.3. <strong>The</strong>re should be a way to maintain the livegreen TES initiative and sustain it inthe long term (through staff or onsite supports). For many people, sustainingbehaviour changes requires community support, ongoing encouragement,and leadership to help troubleshoot challenges that may arise. In other words,supporting individual and community change takes commitment over time.2.3 Building on Existing InitiativesStart from strengths: When thinking about how livegreen TES could beimplemented on your site, begin by assessing the existing tenant engagementstrategies that already exist. This ensures that the initiative builds on the existingstrengths, relationships, and interests amongst staff and tenants. For example,in pilot site #2, a successful weekly lunch program was already in place withparticipation from about 30% of the tenant population each week. Once every sixweeks, the lunch featured a livegreen theme, integrating messages, education,and activities supporting energy conservation behaviours.Acknowledge and build on existing green behaviours: <strong>The</strong>re are likely activitiesalready being undertaken to conserve resources and reduce your site’s impact onthe environment (e.g. hosting recycling initiatives, turning off lights / applianceswhen not in use, sourcing and preparing healthy local foods, cultivatingcommunity gardens, etc.). <strong>The</strong>se existing efforts contribute to a culture ofconservation and an environmental ethic amongst tenants and staff on site.Lead by example: One the most important engagement strategies is for staffand mentors to model green behaviours and values on site and beyond. In otherwords, livegreen becomes ‘the way we do business’ rather than a separateprogram that is removed from day-to-day operations. Practically, this meansfinding ways to weave the message and practice of sustainability throughouttenant engagement and operations of the building.MAIN POINTS TOCONSIDER: BUILDING ONEXISTING INITIATIVES• Start by assessing whattenant engagementstrategies already exist,and build on ‘whatworks’.• Look for examplesof existing greenbehaviours.• Lead by example bymodelling energyconservationbehaviours in allbuilding operations andactivities.11 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

2.4 <strong>Tenant</strong> CapacityHow tenants receive the livegreen message, their motivation to engage in tenantactivities, and their ability to change their behaviour will depend on a number ofpersonal and community factors. Supporting the development of tenant capacityand self-determination is a critical component of creating change. Equally asimportant is the capacity of the staff in terms of time, personal commitment toenergy conservation, and relationships with the tenant population.<strong>The</strong> livegreen TES initiative acknowledges the unique assets and challenges oftenants living in social housing. For example, in the pilot project, we discovereda spectrum of tenant capacities that revealed the most appropriate engagementstrategies to use.ENGAGEDANDINVOLVEDBARRIERS,BUTENGAGEDBARRIERSANDPOTENTIALTO ENGAGENOBARRIERS,BUTUNENGAGEDBARRIERSANDUNENGAGEDFig 4. Spectrum of <strong>Tenant</strong> Capacitya. Engaged and involved: A core group of tenants tend to participate fully in thelivegreen activities. <strong>The</strong>y may take on more of a leadership role if adequatesupport is provided. This group shares a common commitment to be involvedin the community and are often already engaged in many different types ofactivities at the housing site.b. Barriers, but engaged: This group of tenants face multiple barriers (e.g.language, physical ability, mental health, food insecurity, poverty, and/ortrauma) yet still engage in livegreen activities and other initiatives at thehousing site. It is likely that the initiative meets critical social, physical, oremotional needs for these tenants. <strong>The</strong>ir barriers may be impediments forthis group to serve in leadership roles in the initiative. Moreover, barrierssuch as mental health issues may also affect their capacity to changepersonal behaviours.c. Barriers and potential to engage: <strong>The</strong>se tenants face barriers to participationand will likely need extra support or encouragement to connect. <strong>Engagement</strong>of these tenants can be increased through enhanced relationships andoutreach such as extending personal invitations to participate, havingconversations at their door, and reminding them about upcoming events.Design events to ensure that tenants experiencing barriers can fullyparticipate.d. No barriers, but unengaged: This group enjoys higher capacity, but has notbeen participating in tenant programming for a variety of reasons. <strong>The</strong>y couldmake up approximately 30% of tenants. 1 Many may hold employment outsideMAIN POINTS TOCONSIDER: TENANTCAPACITY• <strong>The</strong> social, physical,and emotional needsof tenants will impactthe type and level ofengagement that isappropriate.• For livegreen TES to bemeaningful, a variety ofstrategies and activitiesshould be employedto ensure that tenantsacross the spectrum aregiven the opportunity toengage.• Evaluate the existinglevels of engagementfor tenants at thehousing site.1 Interviews with site staff from the livegreen pilot study indicated that as much as 30% of the tenantpopulation that face little to no barriers do not participate in any programming or engagementactivities on site.12 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

of the building or be otherwise engaged in activities in the community. Findingcreative ways to connect with this group is essential in having the housingcommunity on board with energy conservation goals.e. Barriers and unengaged: This group faces multiple barriers, are notparticipating in any programming, and may not have desire to participate.<strong>The</strong>se folks may never attend programming and may be resistant to the ideaspresented here. While it is important to develop relationships with everyone,the ‘return on investment’ on outreach to this group may not be significant interms of community or energy reduction outcomes.2.5 Staff CapacityDiffering staff capacities and configurations (part-time versus full-time)contribute to the success of a livegreen initiative, as does the staff’s pre-existingknowledge of and support for sustainability and energy conservation behaviours.Staff focus, pre-existing interest, and time spent on-site are factors to beconsidered alongside tenant capacity. For example, below are a variety of waysthat the livegreen TES initiative could be offered on-site:NO SITE STAFF,NO COMMONSPACE<strong>Tenant</strong> supportis externalNo sharedspace forprogrammingLimitedopportunityfor tenantengagementin livegreenNO SITE STAFF,COMMONSPACE<strong>Tenant</strong> supportis external<strong>The</strong>re isshared spaceavailablelivegreenengagementpossible ifprovided byexternal staffPART-TIME SITESTAFF, COMMONSPACERegulartenantprogrammingRelationshipsexist withtenantslivegreenengagementneeds to beintegrated intoexistingprogrammingFULL-TIME SITESTAFF, COMMONSPACERegulartenantprogrammingStrongrelationshipswith tenantsManypossibilities forlivegreenengagementprogramsMAIN POINTS: STAFFCAPACITY• Engage site staffearly and utilizetheir knowledge ofthe tenants and thebuilding(s).• Assess the roles ofcurrent staff in thebuilding, includingon-site tenant supportand operations buildingstaff, in order to build astrong team that enjoysshared ownership of thelivegreen objectives.• Evaluate opportunitiesfor staff to communicateregularly about thelivegreen TES initiative(e.g. regular staffmeetings.)Fig 5. Spectrum of Staff CapacityEngaging staff is critical to the success of the initiative. It is highly recommendedthat organizational leadership meet with staff early in the process, to discusshow livegreen TES can be offered on-site. 1 This will also generate an opportunityto assemble staff’s knowledge of the tenants and the building. For example, themaintenance staff hold knowledge about how the controls of the heating systemwork, while the support staff (e.g. tenant activity co-ordinator) would understandtenants’ needs, interests, and capacities.<strong>The</strong> time invested in developing this collaboration with staff is critical, reapingsignificant dividends for the project, and time saved down the road. Collaborationbetween the various staff on-site minimizes duplication of efforts, enhancesprobability of meeting tenant needs, and makes it easier to quickly identifyopportunities and challenges in the building.1 See Part II of this guide, section 3.1 “Meeting with Building Staff”13 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

2.6 <strong>The</strong> Potential for Energy Savings and Monitoring inthe BuildingOne of the main objectives of the livegreen TES initiative is the reduction ofutility costs, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions. In order to assess theeffectiveness of the initiative, utility data is required, for comparison betweenbefore and after tenant engagement takes place. This data can be obtained fromthe utility bills (e.g. BC Hydro electricity bills and FortisBC gas bills). See Part IIof this guide for more information about assessing energy, plus Appendix C.• In order to measure energy savings, you will need to be able to identifyenergy-saving opportunities and monitor energy performance for each site. 1• If your building has been recently upgraded (e.g. installation of a newboiler or new windows), it will be impossible to separate changes in energyconsumption due to the technical upgrades versus behavioural changes.However, the combination of an upgrade or energy retrofit with a behaviouralprogram will have the highest energy savings potential (compared to just anenergy retrofit or just a behavioural program).3. THE LIVEGREEN TES TENANTENGAGEMENT APPROACHEnergy savings from the livegreen initiative result from tenants changing theirpersonal behaviours to conserve energy, such as turning off lights and turningdown heat. While these actions may seem relatively modest, energy conservationin the home nonetheless remains a challenge for all Canadians.Decades of behaviour change initiatives show that people’s behaviour isinfluenced by tangible variables such as cost of utilities and availability oftechnical solutions (i.e. CFL light bulbs) in addition to intangible variables suchas knowledge, commitment, and values. Moreover, we know that informationalone is unlikely to change behaviour. In order for behaviour change initiativesto be successful, we need to design strategies that acknowledge and address thereal barriers faced, and the benefits that can be experienced by individuals andcommunities.<strong>The</strong> barriers and benefits to energy conservation behaviours are particularlyunique in a social housing context. To adequately address the complexity ofpersonal and community issues such as mental and physical health, poverty, andsocial isolation, we suggest using an integrated strategy that draws on capacitybuilding and community development as well as Community-Based SocialMarketing (CBSM).3.1 Capacity Building & Community DevelopmentWhile energy conserving behaviours are a desired outcome of the livegreen TESinitiative, the journey to achieve these results is focused on supporting personaland community development that builds respectful relationships, communitycohesion, and a sense that ‘you can make a difference’.Taking a capacity building approach means starting where the tenants ‘are at’ toidentify existing strengths, skills, and potentials that can be built upon. In otherwords, tapping into the best of what individuals and the community can offer!1 See Section 2 of this guide for more information about how to calculate a baseline, and measureenergy savings.14 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

This approach stands in contrast to a ‘needs-based’ approach that focuses ondeficiencies and what is ‘broken’ in the community.In the context of livegreen TES, community development means paying attentionto ’the whole person in the whole community‘— individual tenants (their emotionsand experiences as well as their behaviours), the systems and structures in thebuilding, and the culture of each community.<strong>The</strong> livegreen TES pilot utilized the Integral Capacity Building Framework 1 fromBC Healthy Communities (see Figure 6 below) to build awareness of the personaland collective capacities that are needed to support behaviour change andcommunity development overall.When we place energy conservation in the middle of the four quadrants inFigure 6, we can get a sense of the multiple influences, both the internal andexternal, on behaviour change and tenant engagement. In practice, this diagramhelps us to bring personal, cultural, and structural influences to the surface,ensuring that we are paying attention to all critical factors that will influence thesuccess of the initiative.INDIVIDUALCOLLECTIVE• Confidence• Agency• Awareness• Sense of belonging• Confidence• Trust• Environmentalvalues• Identity• Social norms• Social networks• Shared values• Shared identity• Relationships• Leadership• Modeling behaviours• Support from staffINTERIORPSYCHOLOGICAL CAPACITYCULTURAL CAPACITY• Conserve heat• Conserve hot water• Conserve electricity• Recycle• Participate in programs• Healthy eating• Outreach to other tenantsLIVEGREENTENANTENGAGEMENT ONSUSTAINABILITYEXTERIORBEHAVIOURAL CAPACITYSTRUCTURAL ANDSYSTEMS CAPACITY• <strong>Tenant</strong> recreational programs• Efficient heating /coolingsystems• Availability of CFL bulbs• Monitoring and feedback ofenergy consumptionFig 6. Integral Capacity Building Framework for livegreen TES (BC Healthy Communities, 2012)1 BC Healthy Communities’ Integral Capacity Building Framework is a comprehensive and integratedprocess of: community learning; community engagement; expanding community assets; andcommunity collaboration. See more at www.bchealthycommunities.ca/content/Our%20Approach/Index.asp15 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

3.2 Community-Based Social MarketingA growing body of research shows that community-based social marketing(CBSM) is highly effective in influencing behavioural change. CBSM is abranded approach to behaviour change for sustainability that applies principles ofsocial marketing at the community level. 1 Changing individual behavior is centralto achieving a sustainable future according to this approach. An effective CBSMstrategy removes barriers to and increases benefits of the behaviorbeing promoted. Any CBSM strategy outlines a five-step process for developingand delivering behaviour change initiatives based on the principles ofsocial psychology.1. SELECTING BEHAVIOURS: Every CBSM strategy targets a small number ofspecific behaviours. Consider the potential impacts of variousenergy saving behaviors. 2 For example, in the livegreenTES pilot, potential impacts were evaluated for a numberof different behaviours. Only four specific behaviours wereselected based on the highest level of impact, and greatestprobability that tenants would / could changethese behaviours.2. IDENTIFYING BARRIERS AND BENEFITS TO A SPECIFIC BEHAVIOUR: Whatbarriers and benefits exist to engaging in these activities?In deciding which behaviours to promote, it is important toknow what the real barriers are to broad public uptake of theactions. Several research methods can be used to uncoverthese barriers including focus groups, observation andsurvey research. An important consideration is whether thebehaviour requires a one-time change (e.g. installing a low-flow showerhead)or a repetitive, habitual one (e.g. turning the heat down each night beforegoing to bed). In general, it is more difficult to alter and maintain repetitivebehaviour changes than it is to bring about one-time changes in behaviour.It is also essential to consider personal, cultural, and structural barriers toenergy conservation and behaviour change. For example, in the livegreen TESpilot, bed bugs were identified as a significant barrier to energy conservation.When tenants were experiencing significant personal stress from bed bugs,energy conservation became less relevant for them personally. Moreover, bedbug infestations directly resulted in increased energy use, as tenants openedthe windows after their units had been fumigated.3. DEVELOPING AND PILOTING AN INITIATIVE TO OVERCOME BARRIERS: Aneffective CBSM strategy attempts to remove barriersto the behaviour being promoted. An engagementstrategy is designed to address the personal andcommunity barriers that tenants may be experiencing. 3 <strong>The</strong>engagement strategy should be piloted, evaluated, and thenrefined prior to being broadly promoted across the community. Forexample, the pilot livegreen engagement strategy was piloted with a smallgroup of 15-20 tenants who regularly participated in livegreen activities.Communication and educational materials were tested with a small group,evaluated for effectiveness, and then adjusted before promoting the initiativeto the tenant population at large.Outing to Van Dusen gardens1 For more information on CBSM, see www.cbsm.com2 See Part II for more information on selecting behaviours.3 See Part II for more information on developing an engagement strategy.16 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

4. SCALING UP THE INITIATIVE ACROSS THE COMMUNITY: In order forenergy savings to be realized, a significant portion ofthe community must be engaged in changing behaviours.For example, in the livegreen pilot, a door-to-doorenergy challenge was used as a strategy to engageas many tenants as possible in energy conservation.While a core group of highly involved tenants will remain important, specificengagement strategies need to be used to promote the initiative beyondthe core group. As the initiative is scaled up across the community, ensurethat sound procedures are put into place in order to monitor effectivenessover time.5. EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INITIATIVE: Communitybasedsocial marketing stresses evaluation of implementedinitiatives. Further, it emphasizes the direct measurementof behaviours, barriers/benefits, and outcomes (in this case,energy reduction). For example, if energy is being saved, it’simportant to understand why, and how changes in behaviourcan be maintained. For example, the livegreen pilot usedvarious evaluation methods (observation, interviews, focusgroups, energy data) mid-way through the initiative, and again at the end, toassess the effectiveness of the engagement strategy.Beyond the five steps, CBSM recommends a number of tools that are successfulin supporting behaviour change. <strong>The</strong> livegreen pilot used five main CBSM tools(Figure 7). <strong>The</strong>se tools are described in more detail in Part II of this guide, andalso in the Facilitators’ Handbook.BRANDINGEDUCATION /AWARENESSPROMPTSSOCIALNORMSPERSONALCOMMITMENTFig 7. CBSM Tools Used in the livegreen TES Pilot<strong>The</strong> livegreen pilot has completed CBSM steps 1 through 5, and the results aredescribed in detail in Part II of this guide. If the building and tenant profile foryour site is similar to one of the pilot sites, it is likely that the barriers, benefits,and probability of energy conservation behaviours will be similar to the pilot.While we encourage you to utilize the research provided in this guide, we alsorecommend that you explore these behaviours and strategies further through adiscussion with all site staff and by hosting a focus group with tenants.If you find that your tenant and site profile is very different from any of the pilotthen we recommend conducting your own research to identify barriers, benefits,impacts, and outcome probability specific to your site. <strong>The</strong> appendices provideexamples of survey and energy data analysis that will serve as a useful guide forconducting this research.17 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

3.3 Spectrum of <strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong><strong>Tenant</strong> engagement allows residents to be involved in decisions that affect them,creates opportunities for people to meet their own needs, and contributes tohigher levels of satisfaction and well-being. A variety of engagement strategiescan be used in the livegreen TES initiative, depending on the capacities of thetenants and the staff.‘<strong>Engagement</strong>’ can mean many things, so it is important to be as clear as possibleabout the intention of your livegreen engagement strategy. <strong>The</strong> ‘Spectrum of<strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong>’ below (Figure 8) denotes engagement as a fluid process thatcan be used to achieve a variety of purposes over the course of a livegreen TESinitiative. <strong>The</strong> spectrum also suggests that the level of engagement increases asstrategies move away from one-way communication, and towards opportunitiesfor collaboration, leadership, and empowerment.INCREASING IMPACT AND SUPPORT FOR ENGAGEMENT AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE OUTCOMESINFORMINGINVOLVINGCOLLABORATINGLEADINGFig 8. Spectrum of <strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong> 1Informing: Providing meaningful and factual information is a part of everybehaviour change initiative. Take time to think about how you will createawareness about the livegreen initiative and communicate information aboutthe specific behaviours targeted. Common ways of informing include: posters,notices, newsletters, or calendars that are regularly distributed to people in thebuilding. NOTE: Usually, information alone is not sufficient to change behaviour.Involving: A more active way to engage tenants is to invite them to becomeinvolved in activities on-site. Information flow between tenants and staff is twoway,as tenants participate by showing up to events, engaging in discussion andactivities, and/or providing input that shapes future engagement. Site staff willstill take on the majority of the planning, organizing, and inviting of tenants toengagement activities.Collaborating: Collaboration invites input from the tenants into how the livegreeninitiative is designed and conducted on the ground. <strong>Tenant</strong>s work together withstaff to develop, plan, and organize activities in a collaborative manner. <strong>The</strong>tenants hold some ownership over activities, and have a role in making activitieslivegreen community workshop1 <strong>The</strong> Spectrum of <strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong> has been adapted from the International Association of PublicParticipation (www.iap2.org). For a full description of the Spectrum, see Appendix A18 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

happen. This level of engagement requires higher capacity and often sustainedinvolvement, if the collaboration is to be effective.Leading: Given that energy conservation behaviours are both individual andcommunity-based, it makes sense to encourage community action that is notreliant on one person (i.e. a facilitator) to guide the efforts, but is initiated bythe community members themselves. This requires high tenant capacity: theability to and interest in playing a leadership role in organizing and maintaininglivegreen activities in the community.While this diagram presents engagement as having discrete stages, it is ourexperience that the reality is much more fluid, with every learning opportunityproviding an opportunity to move towards empowering people given theirindividual and collective potential. For example, some people may not beinterested or engaged in thinking about the initiative as a whole, but could be veryinterested in playing a decision making role in what kinds of activities they wouldlike to carry out.Collaboration on a sustainable communitymapping workshop3.4 Putting It All TogetherIn the livegreen pilot, we discovered that the level of potential engagement washeavily influenced by the levels of staff availability and tenant capacity. <strong>The</strong> matrixbelow (Figure 10) can be used to think about the implications of tenant and staffcapacity on the level of engagement that you strive for.NO SITE STAFFLOWTENANTCAPACITYINFORM,possibleINVOLVEINFORMINFORM,possibleINVOLVEINFORM,INVOLVEINFORM,INVOLVECOLLABORATEwith outsidefacilitator ifshared spaceexistsINFORM,INVOLVECOLLABORATEHIGHTENANTCAPACITYFULL-TIME SITE STAFFFig 9. Capacity and <strong>Engagement</strong> Matrix19 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

As part of the livegreen pilot, research was undertaken which:• Created a baseline of energy data for each housing site;• Developed a list of possible energy savings behaviours associated with eachhousing site; and• Assessed each of these behaviours for relative impact and probability thattenants would/could change their behaviour.Based on the research from the pilot site, the following behaviours were selectedto have the highest impact for cost and energy saving, and the highest probabilityfor change:BEHAVIOURBehaviour #1: Conserve heatIMPACTON GHGEMISSIONSPROBABILITYOF BEHAVIOURCHANGETurn down the heat: When not home High MediumTurn down the heat: At night High MediumTurn down the heat: When window is open High MediumBehaviour #2 Conserve hot waterTake quick cleansing showers (about 5minutes)Behaviour #3: Conserve electricityHighMedium - HighTurn off lights when not in use / not home Low HighUnplug appliances when not in use (or turnoff power bar)Replace incandescent light bulbs withcompact fluorescentsLowLowHighHighTable 3. Impacts and probabilities of behaviours<strong>The</strong> research from the pilot was undertaken with the purpose of sharing it withother organizations considering the livegreen initiative. Conducting a full energyaudit for each housing site and researching the impact and probability of everybehaviour can be resource intensive and time consuming. Nevertheless, this levelof information is very helpful in designing a community-based social marketingstrategy. Even though each housing site and community will feature its ownunique qualities, we expect that buildings with similar characteristics as the pilotsites will prioritize similar behaviours for energy conservation. If your site sharessimilar characteristics with the pilot sites, we invite you to focus on the samebehaviours as the pilot, including the energy findings, research, and strategiespresented in this guide.In other words, steps 1, 2, and 3 of the Community-Based Social Marketingapproach (1 – Selecting Behaviours, 2 – Identifying Barriers and Benefits,3 – Piloting an Initiative to Overcome Barriers) have already been completed andthe outcomes are described in this toolkit. This learning can be applied toother social housing sites that share similar characteristics of the pilot sitesdescribed earlier.22 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

If you choose to conduct you own research on energy impacts and probability ofbehaviour change, we have provided basic instructions on how to do thisin Appendix C.Behaviour change research demonstrates that the most successful engagementinitiatives strategically focus on reducing the barriers and increasing the benefitsof specific behaviours. Determining the real and perceived barriers and benefitsfor a particular community is best done by engaging staff and tenants directly. Inthe pilot, we researched barriers and benefits to energy saving behaviours usingthree methods: meeting with the building staff, convening a tenant focus group,and circulating a tenant survey. We recommend completing these steps in orderto better understand how the initiative will be perceived on your housing sitealong with the unique barriers and benefits for your tenants, even if your housingsites share the same characteristics as the pilot sites.<strong>The</strong> following section provides more information about the process formeeting with the building staff, convening tenant focus groups, and circulating atenant survey.Outing to Van Dusen gardens2.1 Meeting with Building Staff<strong>The</strong> building maintenance and tenant support staff all play distinct andimportant roles in the launch and continued success of the livegreen initiative.Each of these staff holds a unique perspective about how energy is used in thebuilding, tenant behaviours, tenant capacities, and ‘what works’ for successfulengagement. Each person has a different piece of the puzzle.STAFFPOSITIONRELEVANT KNOWLEDGE FOR THE LIVEGREEN INITIATIVEROLE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THEINITIATIVE<strong>Tenant</strong> • <strong>Tenant</strong> interests, challenges, barriers;• Design and facilitate engagementAsSupporta first step, convene a meeting with all building staff to review the benefitsstrategies;• <strong>Engagement</strong> and communications strategies: ‘whatandStaffobjectives of the works’; initiative, plus energy conservation behaviours that will be • Demonstrate leadership of energy savingfocused on. Remember that the site staff will play a key role in the success of the behaviours;initiative, as they•knowIdentifythecommunitytenants andchampions;the building well, and can also ‘lead byexample’ as they • interact Identify with opportunities the tenants for on integration a regular basis.• Support and mentorship of tenants.of livegreen intoexisting initiatives.BuildingMaintenanceStaff• Knowledge of energy use in building overall;• Knowledge of tenants’ behaviour related to energy use;• Knowledge of building structures and operations (e.g.recycling programs, heating systems, etc.);• Interaction with tenants around operational issues insuites (e.g. replacing showerheads, light bulbs);• Overall perspective of the day-to-day operations on site.• Support structural changes that arenecessary for energy reduction (e.g.initiating a recycling program for CFL lightbulbs on site);• Day-to-day operations related to modellingenergy conservation behaviours (e.g.turning lights off in common areas whennot in use).Table 4. Staff roles in TES livegreen23 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

A purpose of this first meeting is to include staff early in the design of theinitiative. <strong>The</strong> results of this meeting will be critical in terms of informing theengagement strategies that you choose, and ensuring that the messaging of theproject addresses the specifics of the building while connecting to the tenants’interests and capacity levels.Invite staff to think broadly about potential barriers and challenges for tenants(e.g. physical disabilities) and in the building (e.g. no place to recycle CFL bulbs),as well as benefits and opportunities (e.g. increased tenant comfort). Equallyimportant is to discuss how building and tenant support staff will communicatewith each other and collaborate throughout the initiative. It is recommended thatregular meetings among staff departments take place throughout the initiative.Finally, it is critical that senior management of the organization demonstratesstrong commitment to sustainability and the livegreen energy conservationgoals at this first meeting. Ensure that the staff know that they are supported tointegrate energy conservation into their roles and that the whole organizationstands firmly and enthusiastically behind the sustainability goals of this initiative.2.2 Convening <strong>Tenant</strong> Focus GroupsA focus group allows for an in-depth exploration of how the message of livegreenresonates, openness to behaviour change, and potential engagement strategies.Focus groups tend to provide rich information in a short period of time. Invitea small group of tenants (10-15 people) to attend a one-hour focus group onsustainability and energy conservation. If possible, attempt to have a crosssectionof tenants represented, not only the tenants who regularly participate inall programs. A healthy hot meal will also encourage involvement and honour thetenants’ time.<strong>The</strong> objectives of hosting a focus group include:• Exploring the tenants’ values, knowledge, and motivation with respect toenvironmental and energy issues.• Identifying tenants’ willingness to consider behaviour changes with respect toenergy conservation.• Identifying barriers and benefits to specific behaviour changes.• Inviting ideas about what types of engagement approaches and activitieswould be desirable.• Identifying potential community champions who would be interested inparticipating more deeply in the project.A focus group is an important introduction to directly involving the tenants in thelaunch of the initiative at their housing site. Similar to meeting with the site staff,this invitation will help the tenants to feel included and validated.Information from the focus group will give a sense of the motivations, values,and barriers of the tenants: critical information for designing a meaningfulengagement strategy later on. Some of the tenant motivations and valuesarticulated in the focus groups of the pilot project included:• A desire to get to know other people in their community better;• Seeing themselves as ’green champions’: some are already undertaking manyactivities to promote energy conservation;• A desire to have fun and focus on beautifying their surroundings;24 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

• A desire to have access to healthy food;• A desire to help make their community and the planet more environmentallyconscious; and• A desire to develop relationships with new people (those carrying out thisinitiative).Consider the activities and ideas that will appeal to the values of the tenants.Use the TES livegreen initiative as an opportunity to learn about tenants whilebuilding on existing relationships or establishing new ones.If possible, the focus group should engage a cross-section of the tenantpopulation in order to gather as much non-biased information as possible aboutthe existing knowledge, motivations, and openness to energy conservation andthe livegreen message overall. <strong>Tenant</strong> support staff will have a good idea of whocould be invited to a focus group.<strong>The</strong> information gained through the focus group will inform the questions tobe included in the tenant survey. <strong>The</strong> survey can lead to obtaining additionalinformation and also potentially validating (i.e. with a high response rate) theinformation obtained through the focus group.2.3 Circulating a <strong>Tenant</strong> SurveyA survey is a useful way to learn about a sample of the tenant population whomyou will engage. <strong>The</strong> purpose of the TES livegreen survey is to learn more aboutthe following:a. What are the current behaviours of tenants?b. What do tenants know about energy use?c. What do tenants value / what is important to them?d. What are the barriers to change for tenants?e. What are some behaviours that tenants might be willing to change?f. What are potential engagement strategies?Figure 1 shows an example from the pilot tenant survey that examines tenantwillingness to change different behaviours.25 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

I WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THE FOLLOWING: Never AlwaysTake short (under 10 minute) showers instead of longer showers or baths 1 2 3 4 5 6Keep my windows closed in the winter 1 2 3 4 5 6Turn down the heat at night (2°C or 4°F) 1 2 3 4 5 6Turn down the heat when I am out during the day (2°C or 4°F) 1 2 3 4 5 6Turn the lights off when I am not in the room 1 2 3 4 5 6Fig 1. ‘<strong>Tenant</strong> willingness to change behaviour’ section from pilot survey<strong>The</strong> survey results from site #1 indicated that 90% of tenants reportedwillingness to turn lights off when they leave the room and 70% indicated thatthey are willing to turn the heat down at night.Undertaking a building-wide survey that has a meaningful response rate can betime intensive. If you already administer an annual tenant satisfaction survey(or something similar), consider integrating some questions about energyconservation into that survey. If you do not have the capacity to conduct a surveyof the tenant population, we still recommend hosting a staff discussion andtenant focus group. See Appendix D for the full tenant survey that was used inthe pilot.3. DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THE TENANTENGAGEMENT STRATEGY<strong>The</strong> staff discussions, tenant focus group, and tenant survey will provide you withuseful information about how the initiative will resonate with the community onyour housing site. This section describes the strategies that were designed andused in the livegreen pilot initiative. Use these strategies as a guiding frameworkfor ideas, but feel free to adapt and enhance these strategies to meet theunique needs and capacities of your housing site. Here are some guidelines fordeveloping your own livegreen tenant engagement strategy:• Consider the interests and values of the tenants: what is important to themand what do they care about? Shape messaging and outreach to resonate withthe tenants’ values. <strong>The</strong> information from the staff meetings, tenant survey,and the focus group (as described in previous sections of this guide) will beuseful to expose interests and values.• Be intentional about what level of engagement you hope to achieve. 1• Thoughtfully consider the unique capacities of the tenants, and how you willdesign your engagement strategies to overcome existing barriers such aslanguage, literacy, physical disabilities, etc.• Identify a core group of tenants who have an interest in sustainability andwould like an opportunity to be more involved.<strong>The</strong> Facilitators’ Handbook, which accompanies this guide, provides more detailsabout implementing engagement strategies described below.1 See the ‘Spectrum of <strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong>’ in Appendix A.26 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

3.1 livegreen TES Strategieslivegreen TES was designed on the premise that information alone is unlikelyto change behaviour. However, information and communications will alwaysplay a critical role in any engagement strategy that aims to educate, raiseawareness, and shift habits. <strong>The</strong> livegreen TES integrates multiple methods fromcommunity-based social marketing and community development approaches,to create strategies that encourage personal commitment, develop a supportiveculture through social values and norms, and provide practical reminders whenneeded (behaviour prompts). <strong>The</strong>se strategies are described below.Strategy 1: Raise Awareness<strong>The</strong> following activities can be used to create awareness of the initiative:• Educational posters on topics such as hot water, heat, and electricity• Presentation boards• Information sessions• Games such as Energy Bingo and Energy Trivia• Advertising events and activities associated with the initiative• Communicating with the staff team.It’s important to consider locations for posters and outreach materials that allowfor the greatest visibility, such as near mailboxes and on the elevators. Alsothink about how you will ‘brand’ the initiative materials so that tenants can easilyrecognize the livegreen messages and invitations to participate. <strong>The</strong> pilot projectused the livegreen brand and also a recognizable mascot.Strategy 2: Utilize Energy Conservation Behaviour PromptsOften, energy behaviours are habits that we have established over time. <strong>Tenant</strong>sreported that one of the barriers to changing these habits was that they simplyneeded a reminder. Visual behaviour prompts can serve as useful reminders,especially when they are placed as close as possible to where the potentiallyenergy conserving action is taking place.Fig 2. livegreen TES logo and mascot (BCHousing, 2012)In the livegreen pilot program, four different removable stickers were developedto act as behaviour prompts. We also distributed five-minute shower timers fromFortisBC that adhere on the shower wall. Examples of the sticker templatesappear below, along with the shower timer from FortisBC. <strong>The</strong> original stickertemplates are available from BC Housing.Fig 3. livegreen Behaviour Prompt StickersFig 4. FortisBC Shower Timer27 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

Strategy 3: Energy Challenges and Personal PledgesOne of the main strategies in Community-Based Social Marketing is supporting theperception that the desired green behaviour is the norm (rather than the exception)amongst community members. Social norms reflect the ways that tenantsfeel and think about which behaviours are desirable and acceptable within thecommunity. For example, in some communities, leaving lights on when not homemay be viewed as a sign of wastefulness. In other words, this behaviour would beundesirable or unacceptable. In other communities, this norm may not exist.To enhance social norms with respect to energy conservation, and to increasethe likelihood that people follow through with commitments to reduce energy,we suggest running a series of energy conservation challenges. 1 Energychallenges are a fun way to generate awareness of and enthusiasm for a specificbehaviour for a distinct period of time. <strong>The</strong>y are creative ways to approach energyconservation as a community action through which ‘we all do our part’.<strong>The</strong> sticker, right, was intended to be placed on tenants’ front doors to create a’buzz‘ about livegreen and generate a sense of shared commitment about theenergy challenges. <strong>The</strong> “I livegreen” sticker was received well in the pilot withmany tenants taking one to display prominently on their door. <strong>The</strong> stickers reflecta shared sense of identity and pride in taking an active role to save energy.Fig 5. livegreen Pledge StickerStrategy 4: <strong>Tenant</strong> Activity ModulesThroughout the livegreen pilot, we designed engaging activities that aimed tostrengthen relationships, build confidence, and encourage having fun. Activitiesincluded livegreen meals and celebrations, film nights, arts and craft workshops,community mapping, nature walks, and games. <strong>The</strong> Facilitators’ Handbookincludes detailed descriptions of these modules, and instructions on how toimplement them on any housing site.4. WHEN AND HOW TO CONDUCT AN EVALUATIONThroughout the livegreen TES initiative, learning will be ongoing. It is importantto ensure an approach to evaluation that allows you to capture lessons learnedand measure the outcomes of your efforts. Design the evaluation process atthe front end of the project. This helps determine what to pay attention to, andmeasure success and challenges as you implement the initiative. Some areas tomeasure include:livegreen Pledge Sticker placed on atenant’s doorAREA TO EVALUATEReduction in energyconsumptionIncrease incommunitydevelopment andcapacity buildingIncrease in tenantsatisfactionEVALUATION DATA• Energy data• Utility cost data• Greenhouse gas emissions data• Number of tenants participating in activities• Qualitative feedback from tenants• Qualitative feedback from site staff• <strong>Tenant</strong> satisfaction survey (if you administer one)• Feedback from tenants1 Details on how to develop and operate energy challenges is included in the Facilitators’ Handbook28 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

A more detailed Evaluation Model from the livegreen pilot initiative shows sampleindicators of success and how outcomes were evaluated. This can be found inAppendix B.When to Evaluate: While tenant engagement for livegreen is ongoing, therewill be distinct timelines for the engagement strategies for behaviour change.Set some target points throughout this timeline to gather evaluation data.For example, before you begin to scale up engagement strategies through thecommunity, assess how the initiative is going and solicit feedback from thetenants about what is working and what they would change (if anything). It is alsoessential for staff to meet regularly to troubleshoot, and discuss opportunitiesthat may emerge. And, of course, you will conduct a full evaluation at the end ofyour timeline for the initiative.How to Evaluate: Quantitative and qualitative data will be used in evaluating yourinitiative. While quantitative (i.e. more scientific, measurable) data is useful torecord numbers of tenants participating and the amount of energy saved, on itsown, it is inadequate to measure the social and community outcomes that arealso part of this initiative. Qualitative (or ‘softer’) data from interviews, focusgroups, surveys, and staff observations should also be included.Facilitated games and activitiesStaff Reflections: Over the course of the initiative, staff can also engage inlearning and reflection focused on how the activities are meeting objectives.Doing this regularly allows staff to plan for adjustment and corrections on anongoing basis. It also helps identify the largest potential leverage points withtenants. Collecting the themes that emerge from these reflections is a helpfulway of presenting this data.Expect the Unexpected: Behaviour change is ultimately about creating theconditions that support change in people and communities. We have control overonly some aspects of engagement initiatives. No matter how well thought outyour engagement strategy is, you will need to be flexible and adapt your plans torespond to emerging needs and unexpected circumstances. Here are some tipson how to lead change when the unexpected arises:• Do your best to maintain an open mind, and be prepared to adapt as needed.• Lead by example and have faith in yourself and the tenants that you areworking with—a positive attitude helps people to successfully navigatechange.• Remind yourself that changing behaviour is complex, and while there aremany models and tools that exist, there is no ‘silver bullet’ for a quick fix.Building capacity for change takes patience and time.4.1 Overview of Challenges and Opportunities from TESlivegreen PilotThroughout the livegreen TES pilot, lessons learned were captured throughoutthe evaluation. <strong>The</strong> main lessons are shared here.Benefits of the livegreen TES initiative:• Fun: <strong>Tenant</strong>s found group engagement activities enjoyable.• Pride: <strong>Tenant</strong>s authentically want to contribute to a healthy environmentand a better future. When they felt like they were making a difference, theyexpressed individual and community pride.• Saving money on BC Hydro bills: At all of the pilot housing sites, tenants29 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

<strong>Engagement</strong>: <strong>Engagement</strong> means people working collaboratively, through inspiredaction and learning, to create and realize bold visions for their common future. 1Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse gases are gases in the earth’satmosphere that trap heat and contribute to global warming, or climate change.A prominent greenhouse gas is CO 2which is emitted as a result of burningfossil fuels such as oil and natural gas. Because climate change poses seriousrisks, the BC Government committed to reducing emissions of CO 2and othergreenhouse gases by 80% by 2050.Integral Capacity Building Framework: BC Healthy Communities’ IntegralCapacity Building Framework attempts to include the ’the whole person in thewhole community‘ by paying attention to individuals (both interior and exteriorexperiences), to the systems and structures in which we carry out our activities,and to the culture within which we live our day-to-day lives.livegreen TES: <strong>The</strong> livegreen <strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong> on Sustainability (TES) isthe name of the social housing tenant engagement program developed by BCHousing that focuses on sustainability issues, such as energy conservation.Social Norms: Social norms are the explicit or implicit ‘rules’ specifying whatbehaviours are desirable and acceptable within a community.Sustainability: Sustainability integrates environmental, economic, social, andhealth considerations into how we live and make decisions. ‘Sustainabilityactivities require the balanced use of resources within budget parameters, whilemaking positive contributions to the lives of our tenants and employees, localcommunities, and the environment’ (BC Housing, Housing Sustainability Plan,2011 / 2012).ENVIRONMENTSOCIETYECONOMICSFig 6. <strong>The</strong> environment, the economy and society are the three main considerations of sustainability1 Tamarack Institute for Community <strong>Engagement</strong>.31 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

APPENDIX ASPECTRUM OF TENANT ENGAGEMENT FOR LIVEGREENINCREASING IMPACT AND SUPPORT FOR ENGAGEMENT AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE OUTCOMESINFORMING INVOLVING COLLABORATING LEADING<strong>Tenant</strong><strong>Engagement</strong>GoalProvide meaningfuland factual informationto raise awareness,promote programs, andcommunicate ideas.• Information flow isone-way.<strong>Tenant</strong>s participate byshowing up to events,engaging in discussionand activities andproviding inputthat shapes futureengagement. Sitestaff plan, organizeand invite tenants toengagement activities.<strong>Tenant</strong>s participate.• Two-way flow ofinformation.<strong>Tenant</strong>s work togetherwith the program staffto develop, plan, andorganize activities ina collaborative way.<strong>The</strong> tenants havesome ownership overactivities and have arole in making the eventhappening.• <strong>Tenant</strong>scommunicate witheach other and staff.<strong>Tenant</strong>s have thecapacity and interest toplay a leadership rolein livegreen activities inthe community.<strong>The</strong>y are givenresponsibility to leadcertain aspects of theprogram.• <strong>Tenant</strong>scommunicate witheach other and staff.Relationshipto CBSMBranding, awarenessraising,prompts.Education,commitment, socialnorms.Education,commitment, socialnorms, capacitydevelopment.Education,commitment, socialnorms, capacitydevelopment.Examples ofStrategiesEducational posters,stickers, newsletters,mail-outs.livegreen meals, filmnights, pledges, prizes,games, surveys, focusgroups, stickers ondoors.Arts-based activities,outings, celebrationdinners, putting upposters, inviting othertenants.<strong>Tenant</strong> advisorycommittee, communitychampions program,floor leaders,maintaining posters,mentoring othertenants.Adapted from the International Association of Public Participation (2011) and Vancouver Coastal Health Community <strong>Engagement</strong> Framework (2006)32 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

EVALUATION MODEL LIVEGREEN ACTIVITIES, OUTPUTS, AND OUTCOMES (FEBRUARY 2011 – MARCH 2012)GOAL1) Reduceutility costs,energy consump-tion,and greenhousegasemissions.(cont.)STRATEGYEnergyChallenges(cont.)PROGRAMMINGACTIVITYDoor-to-doorenergy challengeon conservingheat inNovember andDecember 2011.OUTPUTSSITE #1 SITE #2 SITE #3One-on-oneconversationwith 53 tenants(45% ofpopulation);47 tenantstook theenergy pledge(40% of population).2.3% averagereduction inenergy acrossthe building.One-on-oneconversationwith 34 tenants(34% ofpopulation);28 tenantstook energypledge (28%of population);4.5%averagereductionin energyacross building.One-on-oneconversationwith 37residences(67% ofpopulation);26 familiestook energypledge (48%of population);4.5%averagereductionin energyacross building.OUTCOMESIncrease in trustand relationshipswith tenants.Increase in awarenessabout energyconservation behaviours.Increase inindividual commitmentto reduceheat consumption.DESCRIPTION/ LESSONSLEARNEDFacilitatorsoutreached totenants by goingto their homes,having a conversationabout energyconservation andlivegreen andinvited them tomake a writtenpledge to reduceheat consumptionby turning downtemperature by 2degrees.This took a significantinvestmentof time, but alsoachieved meaningfulcommunitydevelopment outcomesand energysavings.Posters on eachfloor displayedthe # of energypledges in thecommunity.Many tenantstook the stickerprompts and indicatedthey woulduse them as areminder.BehaviourPromptsA behaviourprompt stickerwas designedfor each of the 4identified behaviours.Showertimers werealso provided.47 heatstickers,30 electricitystickers,20 showerstickers, and8 showertimers weredistributed.28 heatstickers,35 electricitystickers,24 showerstickers, and12 showertimers weredistributed.26 heatsstickers,50 electricitystickers,50 showerstickers, and8 showertimers distributed.<strong>Tenant</strong>s arereminded toconserve energyat the place wherebehaviours occur(i.e. by lightswitch, thermostat,or shower).<strong>The</strong> colours of thesticker promptsare very similarand may be difficultfor tenantsto distinguishdifferences.<strong>The</strong> stickers werepopular with mosttenants. Manyof them liked toshow that they arepart of the initiativeand ‘doingtheir part’.Social Normsand SharedIdentityAn “I livegreen”sticker wasoffered to tenantsto displayon their door,indicating theysupport thelivegreen goalsand that theywere taking partin the energychallenges.44 tenantstook an “Ilivegreen”sticker.26 tenantstook an “Ilivegreen”sticker.31 tenantstook an “Ilivegreen”sticker.‘I livegreen’ stickersbuild a sharedsense of identityand social normsabout the livegreenmessage andinitiative.34 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

GOAL1) Reduceutility costs,energy consump-tion,and greenhousegasemissions.(cont.)GOAL2) Increasecommunitycapacity.EVALUATION MODEL LIVEGREEN ACTIVITIES, OUTPUTS, AND OUTCOMES (FEBRUARY 2011 – MARCH 2012)STRATEGYDialogue andCommunityMappingEnvironmentalEducationOn-site YouthProgrammingPROGRAMMINGACTIVITY2 communitymappingworkshops tookplace: mappingcommunitystrengths andsustainableneighbourhoodmapping.Dialogue wasfacilitated atall livegreenevents.Facilitators creativelyprovidecontent aboutsustainabilityand energy issues.ElementsSociety 1 youthfacilitators deliveredon-siteprogrammingthroughout thesummer called‘<strong>The</strong> Transformers’.1 communitystrengthsmap.1 sustainablecommunitywall map ofthe neighbour-hood.Facilitateddialogue at10 events.Hostedlivegreenbingo, triviaquestions,Pictionary,environmentalfilm night,and presentations.OUTPUTSSITE #1 SITE #2 SITE #31 communitystrengthsmap.1 sustainablecommunitywall map ofthe neighbour-hood.Facilitateddialogue at 9events.Hostedlivegreenbingo, triviaquestions,Pictionary,environmentalfilm night,and presentations.1 sustainablecommunitywall map ofthe neighbour-hood.Informaldialogue at 3events.Hosted livegreengames,presentations,FortisBC table.N/A N/A ~ 10 youthparticipantsfor each ofthe 4 Transformersprograms.OUTCOMES<strong>Tenant</strong>s learnabout their neighbours,services,and strength oftheir community,and sustainabilityissues.Increase in socialinclusion, sense ofbelonging, mutualtrust.<strong>Tenant</strong>s increasetheir knowledgeabout sustainabilityand energyconservation inthe context of theircommunity.Building sharedunderstandingand social normsof environmentalleadership.Youth who participatedin theTransformersprogram received2 programs on energyconservation,1 program on waterconservationand 1 program tocelebrate whatthey learned.DESCRIPTION/ LESSONSLEARNEDLight Bulbs CFL light bulbs 55 bulbs distributed.60 bulbs 35 bulbs Increase in avail-<strong>The</strong> cost of pur-were distributeddistributed. distributed. ability for energy chasing CFL’s isduring the electricityefficient bulbs. a barrier to mostchalleng-tenants. Ensur-Increase in likelihoodtenants willes, at the falling that bulbsharvest dinners,are available isreplace bulbs withand the doorto-doorLIVEGREEN energy ACTIVITIES, OUTPUTS, AND OUTCOMES (FEBRUARY CFL’s. 2011 – MARCH 2012)important.EVALUATION MODELReceiving freechallenge.usefulPROGRAMMINGOUTPUTSDESCRIPTION products isSTRATEGYOUTCOMES very / much LESSONS appreciatedLEARNED by ACTIVITY SITE #1 SITE #2 SITE #3tenants.Dialogue worksbest when integratedinto gamesor other activities(e.g. arts-based).Storytelling hasbeen a successfulway to facilitaterelationshipbuilding betweentenants.Mapping activitiesallows tenantsto become the‘experts’ of theircommunity.Education worksbest when integratedinto fungames or experientialactivities.<strong>The</strong> environmentalfilm night was wellreceived by tenantsand createdopportunities todiscuss how thefilm links to theircommunity andtheir life.Offering programmingon-site at aconsistent timewas successful.Many of the sameyouth participatedin multiple programs.1 Elements Society is a non-profit organization based in Vancouver that delivers environmental education to youth. You can learn more at: www.elementsociety.ca.35 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

EVALUATION MODEL LIVEGREEN ACTIVITIES, OUTPUTS, AND OUTCOMES (FEBRUARY 2011 – MARCH 2012)GOALSTRATEGYPROGRAMMINGACTIVITYOUTPUTSSITE #1 SITE #2 SITE #3OUTCOMESDESCRIPTION/ LESSONSLEARNED2) Increasecommunitycapacity.(cont.)Skills-buildingLivegreen facilitatorshostedactivities suchas plantingflowers, paintingpots, makingcommunityflags, creatingcommunity banners,designinglivegreenplace-mats, andmakinglivegreen t-shirts.6 skills-buildingactivitiesoffered.6 skillsbuildingactivitiesoffered.5 skillsbuildingactivitiesoffered.<strong>Tenant</strong>s learned acraft or skill whileengaging withothers and learningabout energyconservation.Increase in cohesionamongstlivegreen participants.<strong>Tenant</strong>s feel proudof what they havemade together.Hands-on activitieswere plannedto allow skill andleadership development.Arts-based activitieswere very successfulin evokingexpression ofbeliefs and valueswith respect to theenvironment.<strong>The</strong>se activitiesnurtured leadershipand mentorshipbetweentenants.<strong>Tenant</strong>s wereintroduced to BCHydro PowerSmartprogramand instructedon how to register.3 tenantsexpressedinterest.4 tenantsexpressedinterest.3 tenantsexpressedinterest.<strong>Tenant</strong>s arebecoming awareof other supportsand incentives toreduce electricityconsumption.While tenants areinterested in registering,they needsupport in goingonline to do this.Off-siteProgramminglivegreen outingto Van DusenGardens.5 tenantsparticipated.N/A2 familiesparticipated.<strong>Tenant</strong>s wereexposed to experientiallearningand environmentaleducation in aninspiring setting.<strong>Tenant</strong>s were veryappreciative ofthis opportunity.It also createsspace for relationshipbuildingamong tenants.Partnership withVan Dusen Gardensfor youthparticipation atthe 5-day Eco-City Camp.N/A N/A 4 youthparticipatedin the camp(August 22-26).Youth built relationshipswitheach other andgained knowledgeand skills aboutthe environment,conservationbehaviours, andcitizenship.Parents of theparticipating youthdeveloped relationships.Family feedbackwas extremelypositive for VanDusen programming.This is a fruitfulpartnership thatwe can possiblyextend to othersites.livegreen HalloweenPumpkinCarving at BrittaniaCommunityCentre.N/A N/A 9 peopleparticipated(2 adults, 5children, 2youth).Children from 3families built relationshipswhilehaving conversationsabout energyconservation.We had 1 morefamily register,but they did notshow up.Families indicatedthey wouldlike somethingplanned for theChristmas season.36 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

EVALUATION MODEL LIVEGREEN ACTIVITIES, OUTPUTS, AND OUTCOMES (FEBRUARY 2011 – MARCH 2012)GOAL2) Increasecommunitycapacity.(cont.)Increasetenantsatisfaction.STRATEGYLeadershipDevelopmentHealthy FoodPrizesSense ofBelongingPROGRAMMINGACTIVITYA core group oftenants took aleadership rolein planning,tenant outreach,and hosting ofthe Harvest Dinnerin September2011.<strong>Tenant</strong>s areincreasingly encouragedto takea leadershiprole to conserveenergy in theirhome and thecommunity atlarge.All livegreenactivities providehealthy snacks,meals, andnourishment.Prizes wereintegratedinto livegreenprogramming.Prizes reflectedneeds of thetenants and theprogram.livegreen‘teams’ are naturallyformingon each site dueto the consistentparticipation oftenants.OUTPUTSSITE #1 SITE #2 SITE #38 tenants tookleadershiproles in setup,clean-up,and invitations.<strong>Tenant</strong>s putup stickersin commonrooms, turnoff lights /TV when notin use, andreport openwindows inhallways.7 meals +snacks provided.Grocery giftcertificates,power cords,water bottles,coffee mugs,Fortis BCbags, livegreenpens.~ 12 tenantsidentify aspart of livegreenprogram.4 tenantstook leadershiprolesin set-up,clean-up, andinvitations.<strong>Tenant</strong>s putup stickersin commonrooms, turnoff lights /TV when notin use, andreport openwindows inhallways.7 meals +snacks provided.Grocery giftcertificates,power cords,water bottles,coffee mugs,Fortis BCbags, livegreenpens.~10 tenantsidentifyas partof livegreenprogram.N/A1 family willbe asked totake a leadershiproleby holdingthe key forthe bulletinboard.5 meals +snacks provided.Grocery giftcertificates,power cords,water bottles,coffeemugs, FortisBC bags,livegreenpens.~4 familieshaveconsistentlybeen partof livegreenprogramming.OUTCOMES<strong>Tenant</strong>s developeda sense of ownershipand pride inthis event and thelivegreen initiative.<strong>Tenant</strong>s are developinga senseof ownership andpride over thelivegreen initiative.<strong>Tenant</strong>s increaseoverall well-beingand satisfactionby eating healthyfood.<strong>Tenant</strong>s’ needs arebeing met whilealso learningabout livegreen.livegreen teamsincrease awarenessof the programon-site, andbuild social normsaround energyconservation.DESCRIPTION/ LESSONSLEARNED<strong>The</strong> tenants weregiven invitations todistribute to othersin the building.This was successfuland also madethem feel like theevent was special.<strong>Tenant</strong>s need aninvitation andsupport to take onmore leadership.Small, easy toaccomplish taskswork best.It has been difficultfor tenants totake on leadershipfor outreach toother tenants.Food is a criticalpart of programmingfor livegreenparticipants. Itmeets their needsand acts as amotivation forengagement.Grocery gift certificateshave beenvery popular.37 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

APPENDIX CENERGY CONSUMPTION AND CONSERVATIONBEHAVIOURSCreating a baseline of energy dataIt is important to establish a baseline from which you can measure your energyconservation savings over time. Moreover, setting a baseline allows you toanalyze the source of energy use in the building. This information will prove to beessential when considering which behaviours will have the highest impact andwhich are under the tenants’ control.<strong>The</strong>re are three main categories of energy consumption to consider: heat, hotwater, and electricity. Figure 1 shows the baseline energy consumption data thatwas used for pilot site #1.Electricity in British Columbia is provided from hydroelectric sources, thusemitting far less greenhouse gas emissions (GHG’s) than the natural gas usedfor water and space heating. Since natural gas makes up such a significantproportion of total energy used, we examined how total natural gas usage wasdistributed in each of the sites (see Figure 2 right).PILOT SITE #1 2009 ENERGY USEELEC-TRICITY20%WATERHEATING43%SPACEHEATING43%Figure 1. Distribution of Energy at pilot site #1PILOT SITE #1 2009 GAS USERelative impacts of different energy behavioursGiven the baseline energy data for a housing site, the next step is to develop alist of potential behaviours that could result in energy saving. Here is a list ofenergy saving behaviours from the livegreen pilot, the associated reduction ingreenhouse gas emissions (GHG’s), and the impact that each behaviour wouldhave on overall energy consumption in the building. 1WATERHEATING46%SPACEHEATING54%BEHAVIOUR % GHG SAVINGS IMPACTBehaviour % GHG Savings ImpactFigure 2. Gas usage for pilot site #1Close windows in winter 5% HighTurn down the thermostat (day) 4% HighTurn down the thermostat (night) 4% HighSeal drafts 2% HighTake shorter showers (5 minutes) 2% HighTake a shower instead of a bath 2% HighWash clothes in cold water 1% MediumWash only full loads of laundry 1% MediumIdentify leaks and report them 1% MediumTurn off lights and appliances Negligible LowReplace light bulbs Negligible Low1 Not all organizations will have the resources to conduct a full energy audit. You can expect the relativeimpact of these behaviours to be similar at most sites that share similar characteristics as the pilothousing sites.38 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

Impact vs. ProbabilityWhen selecting behaviours, there are at least two critical types of information toconsider: a) the relative impact of changes in behaviour on reducing energy andGHG emissions, and b) the likelihood and probability that tenants can and willchange these behaviours.Figure 3 demonstrates that the behaviours that have the highest impact in termsof energy savings are also the most difficult behaviours for tenants to change. Onthe other hand, relatively simple behaviours, such as turning out lights when nothome, are more probable, but offer lower reductions in GHG emissions.SITE #1 BEHAVIOUR IMPACT VS PROBABILITYIMPACT87654321CLOSE WINDOWS IN WINTERTURN DOWN HEAT — NIGHTTURN DOWN HEAT — DAYSHORTER SHOWERSLIGHTS1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8PROBABILITYFig 3. Behaviour impact vs. probability for behaviours from pilot site #1What does this information mean? In the pilot, we wanted to ensure that wefocused on changing behaviours that resulted in tangible reductions in energy,but also allowed the tenants to succeed. For example, because turning off thelights is a relatively simple behaviour that many tenants are already doing, it washelpful to use this success as a ‘stepping stone’ to more challenging changes,such as turning down the heat.WHAT CAN I DO?Save Electricity and $$on Your Power BillTurn Down Heat if Window is OpenWhat can I do?• Turn off lights whenyou leave the room.• Change to energysaving light bulbs.<strong>The</strong>y last 8 timeslonger and use 75%less electricity!• Unplug applianceswhen not in use.Appliances still suckelectricity even whenthey are not on! Thisis called “vampirepower” and it can be asmuch as 10% of yourelectricity bill.Did you know…Stay cozy inside whenit’s cold outside…• If your window isopen, the heat headsfor the outdoors!• <strong>The</strong> furnace needsto work harder toreplace wasted heat.• We can worktogether to saveenergy by turningdown the heat ifyour window is open.39 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

Focus Behaviours from the PilotBehaviour change research shows that the most successful engagementinitiatives strategically focus on reducing the barriers and increasing thebenefits of specific behaviours. This requires a selection of the ‘top’ three or fourbehaviours on which to focus your livegreen engagement strategy. From this listof possible behaviours, the following were chosen as a focus for the pilot project:BEHAVIOURBehaviour #1: Conserve heatIMPACT ON GHGEMISSIONSREPORTED PROBABILITY OFBEHAVIOUR CHANGETurn down the heat when not home High MediumTurn down the heat at night High MediumTurn down the heat when window is open High MediumBehaviour #2 Conserve hot water• Take quick cleansing showers (about 5 minutes) High Medium - HighBehaviour #3: Conserve electricity• Turn off lights when not in use / not home Low High• Unplug appliances when not in use (or turn off power bar) Low High• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents Low HighWHAT CAN I DO?Turn Down Heat at NigBehaviour #1: Conserve heat• Turning down the thermostat 2 degrees Celsius during the day: According toBC Hydro, turning the thermostat down 2 degrees for 8 hours reaps up to a4% reduction in energy.• Turning down thermostats 2 degrees Celsius at night: This could save up to2% in GHG’s. According to BC Hydro, turning the thermostat down 2 degreesfor 8 reaps up to a 4% reduction in energy.• Turning down the thermostat when windows are open: It is difficult to predictthe savings potential of this action, but it was identified as an issue at allthree of the pilot sites. Particularly in buildings with multiple floors, openingwindows on the upper floors was unlikely to cool the units due to the ‘stackeffect’ bringing heat up from the lower levels, and was likely to cause tenantson lower floors to turn up the heat due to increased air infiltration, therebyexacerbating the problem. In the survey and focus group, we discoveredthat tenants were resistant to ‘closing windows’ altogether due to poor aircirculation in buildings and smells from bed bug fumigation. Hence, werecommended turning heat down or off if windows are open.Did you• Our planelimited re• When weheat, we sresourcesfuture gen• Turning dtemperatu3 to 5 degnight saveabout 15%your monhouseholdconsumpt40 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

WHAT CAN I DO?Quick Showers SaveEnergy and Hot WaterBehaviour #2: Conserve hot water:• Taking quick, cleansing showers: <strong>The</strong> energy audit from one of the pilot sitesshowed that 68% of hot water is used in showers and bathing. This representsabout 25% of end gas use that can be influenced by changes in behavioursto take quick showers that are approximately 5 minutes in duration. Thisbehaviour has the potential to reduce approximately 2% of the building’sGHG emissions. NOTE: engagement around ‘quick showers’ must be donewith care so as to ensure that messaging promoting personal hygiene, andmessaging to conserve hot water are not in conflict with each other.Although we had originally identified decreasing hot water usage for laundry as afourth target behaviour, we abandoned this messaging as we became aware thatthe tenants needed to launder their clothing in hot water to eradicate bed bugs.This demonstrates the importance of understanding the group that you will beworking with.Behaviour #3: Conserve electricity:• Turning off lights when not in use / not home: This behaviour results insignificant electrical savings, but negligible savings on GHG emissions.Nevertheless, this behaviour has the potential to result in financial savings fortenants on their BC Hydro bill, conserves electricity, and is a relatively easyway for tenants to take tangible action.• Unplugging appliances when not in use (or turn off power bar): Same asabove.• Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents: This reapsan electrical savings potential of approximately 5%, but less than 1% GHGsavings potential in BC due to low-carbon electricity.Building RetrofitsRetrofits to buildings are an important way to reduce greenhouse gases, andwhenever possible, should be completed. However, there exist some implicationsregarding retrofits and the implementation of this initiative. If you undertakeretrofits and a TES project simultaneously, be aware that you may not be ableto differentiate savings attributed to the retrofits versus tenant engagement.Completing the tenant engagement process without retrofits allows you tomeasure the benefit of the TES initiative alone. That said, it is well-known thatbuilding retrofits are a significant means of decreasing greenhouse gases:therefore they should not be unnecessarily delayed.Did you kno• In BC, we usemore water pethan the averaCanadian!• About 35% of opersonal wateuse is from sh& baths.• A quick 5 minushower uses a45 litres less hwater than a bSave Electricity and $$on Your Power BillWhat can I• Turn off lightsyou leave the• Change to enesaving light b<strong>The</strong>y last 8 timlonger and usless electricit• Unplug appliawhen not in uAppliances still suelectricity even whthey are not on! This called “vampirepower” and it can bmuch as 10% of yoelectricity bill.41 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

APPENDIX DTENANT ENERGY USE SURVEY<strong>The</strong> purpose of this brief 10- to 15-minute survey is to help plan activities related to saving energy. Thank you for taking thetime to complete it: your input is highly valued. Everything you share here is confidential and anonymous.Please remember to enter the prize draw on the last page after completing the survey.SECTION 1Please circle the gender and fill in the ages of the people who live in your household.Person 1 M / F Age ___ Person 4 M / F Age ___Person 2 M / F Age ___ Person 5 M / F Age ___Person 3 M / F Age ___ Person 6 M / F Age ___What languages are spoken in your home?__________________________________________________________________SECTION 2HOW OFTEN DO YOU: Never AlwaysOpen your windows in the winter? 1 2 3 4 5 6Wash small or partial loads of laundry? 1 2 3 4 5 6Turn down your heat at night? 1 2 3 4 5 6Turn down the heat when you are not at home? 1 2 3 4 5 6Turn off lights when you leave the room? 1 2 3 4 5 6Take showers greater that 10 minutes, or baths? 1 2 3 4 5 6SECTION 3Check one of the following:My unit is heated by: ___Gas ___Hydro ___Other / I don’t knowCheck one of the following:My hot water is heated by: ___Gas ___Hydro ___Other / I don’t knowRATE THE FOLLOWING: Strongly Agree Strongly DisagreeUsing gas creates pollution 1 2 3 4 5 6Using gas causes climate change 1 2 3 4 5 6Using electricity causes pollution 1 2 3 4 5 6Using electricity causes climate change 1 2 3 4 5 6It costs me money when I use extra electricity 1 2 3 4 5 6It costs me money when I use extra hot water 1 2 3 4 5 6It costs me money when I turn up the heat 1 2 3 4 5 642 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

SECTION 4RATE THE FOLLOWING: Strongly Agree Strongly DisagreeSaving energy helps stop climate change 1 2 3 4 5 6Saving energy saves me money 1 2 3 4 5 6Saving energy is important because others say it is 1 2 3 4 5 6I want to leave a better world for my children and future generations bysaving energy1 2 3 4 5 6SECTION 5RATE THE FOLLOWING: Never AlwaysI open windows in the winter because my home is too hot 1 2 3 4 5 6I open my windows in the winter because I smoke / my guests smoke 1 2 3 4 5 6I open my windows in the winter because I like fresh air 1 2 3 4 5 6I take longer showers / baths due to physical problems or illness 1 2 3 4 5 6I like to take longer showers / baths because it feels good 1 2 3 4 5 6I like to sleep in a warm / hot room 1 2 3 4 5 6SECTION 6I WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THE FOLLOWING: Never AlwaysTake short (under 10 minute) showers instead of longer showers or baths 1 2 3 4 5 6Keep my windows closed in the winter 1 2 3 4 5 6Turn down the heat at night (2°C or 4°F) 1 2 3 4 5 6Turn down the heat when I am out during the day (2°C or 4°F) 1 2 3 4 5 6Turn the lights off when I am not in the room 1 2 3 4 5 643 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

SECTION 7OF THE TENANT ACTIVITIES / EVENTS IN YOUR BUILDING, WHICH ONES DO YOU CURRENTLY PARTICIPATE IN?WHY DO YOU PARTICIPATE?Thank you for completing the survey!Please detach this page and return with your survey by Thursday, December 30th 2010 to be entered into the prize draw.Enter to win a $100 gift certificate for Safeway!Please fill in this entry form and deposit it with your survey in the box in the 3rd floor in the apartment tower lounge.Name:______________________________________Unit #: _______________________________________Phone #:____________________________________Would you be interested in getting involved in training and education programs about environmental issues such as: climatechange, recycling, social change?___YES___NO44 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

APPENDIX EANALYSIS OF ENERGY SAVINGS FOR LIVEGREEN TES PILOTENERGY SAVINGS METHODOLOGYEnergy savings results for the livegreen TES Pilot were derived using the regression analysis function of Microsoft Excel. BCHousing was in the enviable position of having already hired an engineering firm to analyze all of the directly managed housingsites for the purposes of tracking greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As a result, we were able to compare our formulas fromMicrosoft Excel with the formulas using more specialized energy software.Natural Resources Canada has recently released RETScreen Plus energy analysis software, which facilitates the examinationof results using different baseline periods and temperatures. Though the results vary between the sites when baselineassumptions are changed, the overall savings during the three-month period still average around 3.5%: essentially the sameresults as those produced using Microsoft Excel.We chose to use Microsoft Excel to create our own formulas rather than using the formulas already created for GHG analysis.We felt that this was important because we expect that many organizations participating in livegreen TES may not have theresources to hire someone else to analyze data. <strong>The</strong> formulas created using Excel, and the results derived from them weresubstantially similar to those created using more specialized software in the cases that we examined: so we were able to usethem as a comparison to confirm the accuracy of our results.<strong>The</strong> baseline data used for both analyses was gas usage on the sites for the year 2005, to be consistent with our GHG analysisbaseline. Electrical data for 2011 was not available at the time of this report, but will be examined once it is.Since the baseline year of 2005, energy retrofits have taken place on both pilot properties as a part of the 2006 Energy RetrofitPilot Program. On site #1, windows, boilers, lighting, shower heads, and faucet aerators were replaced; and on site #2, boilers,lighting, shower heads, and faucet aerators were replaced. No significant retrofit work has been undertaken on the sites sincethese retrofits were completed. Since these retrofits have taken place, there has been a steady rate of energy savings at thehousing sites.<strong>The</strong> savings attributable to the livegreen <strong>Tenant</strong> <strong>Engagement</strong> on Sustainability Pilot were derived by subtracting savings duringthe months of October, November, and December 2010 from savings during those same three months in 2011. <strong>The</strong> followingthree graphs show the savings for each site, and overall savings for both sites during the three-month period. October throughDecember 2011 is the same period during which BC Healthy Communities undertook a door-to-door campaign to reach asmany tenants as possible and thereby obtain as many pledges as possible.SITE #1 TES ENERGY SAVINGS65PERCENTAGE REDUCTION43210-1-2OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER (2011)45 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

MONTH 2011SAVINGS2010SAVINGSSAVINGSATTRIBUTABLETO TES (GJ)EQUIVALENTTONNES OF CO 2CONSUMPTION(GJ)PERCENTAGEREDUCTIONOctober 164 168 -4 -0.20 487.5 -0.8%November 218 221 -3 -0.16 597.7 -0.5%December 234 196 38 1.89 648.4 5.9%Total 615 585 31 1.53 1734 1.8%For housing site #1, we reaped slightly negative savings during the first two months, but we achieved the goal of 5% during themonth of December. One possible reason that the site performed poorly for the first two months may be due to more bed bugtreatments than usual during the latter part of 2011. Bed bug treatments involve greatly increased use of laundry facilities andmore open windows, compared with typical operations.SITE #2 TES ENERGY SAVINGS6PERCENTAGE REDUCTION54321OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER (2011)MONTH 2011SAVINGS2010SAVINGSSAVINGSATTRIBUTABLETO TES (GJ)EQUIVALENTTONNES OF CO 2CONSUMPTION(GJ)PERCENTAGEREDUCTIONOctober 244 219 24 1.21 683 3.6%November 289 247 42 2.10 908 4.6%December 276 230 47 2.33 1031 4.5%Total 809 696 113 5.64 2622 4.3%46 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS

For housing site #2, we achieved steady positive results throughout the three-month period. Though bedbugs are also an ongoingissue at this site, the treatments were much less frequent and intense than at the other site.OVERALL TES ENERGY SAVINGS6PERCENTAGE REDUCTION54321OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER (2011)MONTHSAVINGSATTRIBUTABLETO TES (GJ)EQUIVALENTTONNES OF CO 2PERCENTAGEREDUCTIONCOST SAVINGS(AT $5/GJ)October 20 1 1.7% $ 100.00November 39 2 2.6% $ 195.00December 85 4 5.0% $ 425.00Total 144 7 3.3% $ 720.00Overall, results were positive, but not quite as high as the project target of 5%. Positive results are possible even on siteswhere tenants face multiple barriers. Our results also underline how difficult it is to achieve savings on social housing sites,and the attendant need for significant on-site support if savings are to be achieved. We will continue to monitor energy dataat these sites to assess the persistence of the savings over time, now that our contractors have left the site and tenants areresponsible for keeping their pledges over the long-term.47 GUIDE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS