Should energy efficiency be traded off for other product attributes? : an analysis of air-conditioner regulation in Japan

This paper examines the functioning of energy efficiency standards and labeling policies for air conditioners in Japan. The results of our empirical analysis suggest that consumers respond more to label information, which benchmarks the energy efficiency performance of each product to a pre-specified target, than to direct performance measures. This finding provides justification for the setting, and regular updating, of target standards as well as their use in calculating relative performance measures. We also find, through graphical analysis, that air conditioner manufacturers face a tradeoff between energy efficiency and product compactness when they develop their products. This tradeoff, combined with the semi-regular upward revision of minimum energy efficiency standards, has led to the growth in indoor unit size of air conditioners in recent years. In the face of this phenomenon, regulatory rules were revised so that manufacturers could adhere to less stringent standards if the indoor unit size of their product remains below a certain size. Our demand estimates provide no evidence that larger indoor unit size causes disutility to consumers. It is therefore possible that the regulatory change was not warranted from a consumer welfare point of view.

Industry wage survey : help supply services, October 1989.

Chiefly tables.

1992 census of manufactures.

Mode of access: Internet.

1987 census of manufactures.

Mode of access: Internet.

United States census of business: 1948.

I. Retail trade-general statistics, part 1.--II. Retail trade-general statistics, part 2, and merchandise line sales statistics.--III. Retail trade-area statistics.--IV. Wholesale trade-general statistics and commodity line sales statistics.--V. Wholesale trade-area statistics.--VI. Service trade-general statistics.--VII. Service trade-area statistics.

The Peace Corps in Ecuador.

"ACTION 4200.43"--P. [4].

The Peace Corps in The Gambia.

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The Peace Corps in El Salvador.

Mode of access: Internet.

The Peace Corps in Jamaica.

Mode of access: Internet.

The Peace Corps in Honduras.

Mode of access: Internet.

The Peace Corps in Guatemala.

Mode of access: Internet.

Lesotho.

Mode of access: Internet.

The Peace Corps in Kenya.

Mode of access: Internet.

The Peace Corps in Micronesia.

Mode of access: Internet.

The Peace Corps in Malaysia.

Mode of access: Internet.