Mandatory Energy Efficiency Disclosure in Housing Markets Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Mandatory disclosure policies are implemented broadly despite sparse evidence that they improve market outcomes. We study the effects of requiring home sellers to provide buyers with certified audits of residential energy efficiency. Using similar nearby homes as a comparison group, we find that this requirement increases price premiums for energy efficiency and encourages energy-saving investments. We additionally present evidence highlighting the market failureincomplete information by both buyers and sellersthat prevents widespread voluntary disclosure of energy efficiency in housing transactions. Our findings support that disclosure policies can improve market outcomes in settings with symmetrically incomplete information. (JEL D83, K32, L98, Q41, Q48, R31)

published proceedings

  • AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-ECONOMIC POLICY

altmetric score

  • 14.5

author list (cited authors)

  • Myers, E., Puller, S. L., & West, J.

citation count

  • 4

complete list of authors

  • Myers, Erica||Puller, Steven L||West, Jeremy

publication date

  • November 2022