The 15th HIAS Brown Bag Seminar

The HIAS Brown Bag Seminar is a seminar series hosted by Hitotsubashi Institute for Advanced Study (HIAS).
The seminar series aims to promote interaction between HIAS researchers, faculty members, and students university-wide.
HIAS, with its 11 research centers, will continue to strive to function as a hub to facilitate active research collaboration throughout the University.

*Registration deadline is 3 PM, 12 March. Anyone is welcome to attend!

<If space allows, walk-in participants will be accepted on the day of the event.>

*Bring your own lunch.
<Coffee and snacks will be served.>

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▪️Date: Thursday, 13 March, 2025 12:40-13:40 (Presentation + Chat over lunch)

▪️Title: “Is Energy Efficiency Contagious? Evidence from Peer Effects in Home Retrofits”

▪️Speaker: Kareman Yassin (Assistant Professor, HIAS)

▪️Abstract: I examine the spatial peer effects of Canada’s largest home energy efficiency retrofit program and its impact on household energy consumption. Using a decade of house-level monthly energy consumption data, tax assessments, program participation records, and energy audits from a Canadian city, I find that neighbors of retrofitted homes reduce their monthly natural gas and electricity consumption by an average of 2.4% and 1%, respectively. These findings are consistent across three different comparison groups. I find that the visibility of retrofits plays a crucial role in shaping peer effects. Highly visible upgrades—such as windows, doors, and exterior wall insulation—have a 3.5 times stronger influence on neighboring energy savings compared to less visible retrofits, like natural gas furnace upgrades. Additionally, the peer effect weakens as the distance to retrofitted homes increases.

▪️Venue: Room 205, Annex.(*) Kunitachi Campus, Hitotsubashi University
(*) No. 5 in this campus map

▪️Language: English

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Click HERE to register!