Transparent communication for residential heating decarbonization: A content analysis of heat pump marketing in Canada

Abstract

Information transparency helps in building trust between intermediary stakeholders and adopters. Potential adopters seek information as they are learning about a new technology to make an informed decision. To this end, this article analyzes how intermediary installers communicate and market heat pumps, an important technology in residential decarbonization. Marketing communication by heat pump installers has been analyzed using an inductively and deductively developed coding system. Results show that 89 % of the 90 installers did not provide an estimate of the total cost of the equipment that homeowners can expect if they decide to adopt. This highlights areas of information that is missing, known as information gaps, that can be improved to increase heat pump adoption. The results reveal a tendency to over emphasize the energy efficiency improvements and expected utility cost savings from heat pump installation which were discussed by 84 %, and 67 % of the installers respectively. Building on the theories of diffusion of innovation, energy transitions, and corporate social responsibility, these findings reveal critical gaps in information transparency that undermines federal rebate program efforts to increase adoption.