Mar 16 - Matthias Deutsch
PhD Candidate, School of Public Policy

"The effect of life-cycle cost disclosure on consumer behavior"

Providing information in a simplified way may make consumers buy more energy-efficient household appliances. Such simplification may be achieved by disclosing the estimated monetary operating cost and life-cycle cost of a given appliance - which has been a recurring theme within the energy policy and efficiency labeling community. Yet, little is known about the causal effect of life-cycle cost disclosure on consumer behavior. Matthias Deutsch will present findings from two randomized online field experiments conducted at a price comparison engine, and at an online shop in Germany.

Matthias Deutsch is a doctoral candidate at the School of Public Policy. His research interests include life-cycle assessment, life-cycle cost and their communication to consumers. He has worked at the Hertie School of Governance, and the German Institute for Economic Research, both in Berlin. Matthias Deutsch holds an advanced degree in environmental engineering from the Berlin University of Technology. He is currently working very hard on getting a new visa to be able to return to College Park.