The Challenge

Commercial buildings are a major source of energy use, and energy managers and building operators have significant influence over how that energy is consumed. Yet most of these key players focus their efforts on technical solutions (e.g., equipment upgrades and retrofits), while behavioral interventions that target building occupants or corporate culture remain underutilized. This gap presents a major opportunity to reduce energy use and enhance occupant engagement in the commercial sector.

The Client

The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) of Ontario, Canada is responsible for managing the province’s electricity system and market. As part of their commitment to demand-side solutions, IESO identified a need to support behavior-based approaches within commercial energy management. To fill this gap, IESO brought on See Change Institute to design and pilot a professional training course tailored to commercial energy users.

Our Approach

First, See Change conducted a needs assessment among Ontario-based energy managers, which revealed a clear lack of training in behavioral science and a high level of interest in learning how to apply behavior change principles to their work. Building on these insights, See Change designed and delivered a multi-module Behavior Change course that introduced participants to behavioral theory, intervention design, and evaluation methods—all within the context of commercial energy use.

Key Findings

Evaluation of the pilot course revealed strong support for the training and its relevance to participants’ work:

• High engagement and positive feedback on the course content, delivery, and real-world applicability.
• Demonstrated learning outcomes, with participants reporting increased confidence in designing and evaluating behavioral interventions.
• Tangible workplace impacts, as participants returned to their organizations and implemented behavioral strategies that influenced energy use.
• Strategic alignment with SEM goals, highlighting the course’s potential to strengthen and complement existing Strategic Energy Management programs.