Problem
Many stakeholder groups in the HVAC industry have a negative view of evaporative cooling because of past experiences with low-quality products. One of the barriers to changing these views is lack of knowledge about today’s high-quality evaporative cooling products. WCEC tested two different information platforms to identify the attributes that best address this knowledge gap.
Results
2018
Individuals from across the HVAC industry in California were recruited to participate in the study. Each was asked a series of initial survey questions, and then assigned to review information on one of the three technologies. Each group was further split, randomly assigned to either watch a video or review the website featuring the technology. After reviewing the information provided, participants answered another series of questions on their awareness, attitude, and interest in the relevant technology.
Comparisons of groups, pre- and post- information, revealed that the videos did a better job of making viewers comfortable working with, buying or recommending the technologies than the websites. In other aspects the information sources rated similarly. These findings suggest that videos are an effective platform for promoting emerging technologies, especially when disseminated through existing professional networks.
Solution
With funding from Southern California Edison, WCEC created a series of three videos, each featuring a single evaporative cooling technology. The videos provided information on how the technology works, evidence of technical performance, and cost and energy savings estimates, based on previous research. In addition, each video featured one or two testimonials from individuals who work with the technology.
