OMB Control Number 1905-0186
2020 RECS Pretesting – Generic Clearance
Cognitive Testing Protocol
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this research study. We are currently interviewing people to help us improve the Residential Energy Consumption Survey, which the US Department of Energy uses to gather information about how energy is used in homes. This interview is voluntary and should take about 1 hour. All of your comments and responses will be kept private and confidential and will only be used to finalize the future survey questions.
During our discussion today, you will complete a questionnaire. As you work through the questionnaire, I am interested in more than just your answers to the questions-- I would also like to hear what you are thinking about as you answer each question. Please try to think aloud while answering them, telling me everything that comes to mind, whether it seems important or not. I am also going to be asking you some follow-up questions about how you came up with your answers, what the question means to you, or if you think the question is missing any answer options. I may ask some follow-up questions to clarify what I’m hearing.
I’ll be taking some notes to make sure I accurately capture what you are saying. Please remember, this is not a test. There are no right or wrong answers. I just want to know what each question means to you. If you don’t understand a question that is asked or you find it confusing, please let me know.
At the end of the interview, you’ll receive $40 cash as a thank-you for your participation.
Your answers will be kept confidential, and we will not use your name in the report summarizing these interviews. Before we begin, do you have any questions?
It would be helpful to me if I recorded our interview so I could reference it as needed when writing up a summary of findings. Is this okay with you?
IF YES: BEGIN RECORDING.
Alright, I just started recording.
Let’s start with an example.
In what year was your home built? Remember, think aloud as you answer this question.
Now, I’m going to ask you some follow-up questions.
[IF DID NOT THINK ALOUD] How did you come up with your answer?
How easy or difficult was it for you to come up with your answer?
Good, it looks like you have the hang of it. Now we can get started with the survey questions.
TYPEHUQ |
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ASK |
All respondents |
Which best describes your home?
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NEXT |
SF1 |
NOTE |
Question is included to satisfy skip logic for heat pump back-up source question (HPBACKUP), wood amount (WOODAMT/PELLETAMT), air conditioning (ACEQUIPM), and electric vehicles (EV1-EV8). |
PROBES |
None |
SF1 |
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ASK |
All respondents |
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A home’s size is typically reported in “square feet.” Do you know your home’s square footage?
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NEXT |
If SF1 = 1: SF2 Else: SF3 |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
None |
SF2 |
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ASK |
If SF1 = 1 |
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What is the square footage of your home? We would rather you select ‘Don’t know” than provide a guess.
________square feet
Don’t know
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NEXT |
If SF2 = DK, SF3 Else: SF4 |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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SF3 |
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ASK |
If SF1 = 0 or SF2 = DK |
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We understand that you might not know how many square feet your home is. A home’s size is closely related to its energy use, so we would like you to provide an estimate. Please tell us which category best describes the square footage of your home.
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NEXT |
If SF1 = 1: SF4 ELSE: STOVEN |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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SF4 |
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ASK |
If SF1 = 1 & SF2 ≠ DK |
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What sources of information did you use to determine your home’s square footage? Select all that apply.
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NEXT |
STOVEN, STOVE, OVEN |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
None |
STOVEN, STOVE, OVEN |
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ASK |
All respondents |
PRESENT ITEMS ON THE SAME PAGE AND INCLUDE IMAGE OF EACH ITEM.
STOVEN How many stoves/ranges do you have in your home?
STOVE How many separate cooktops without an oven do you have in your home?
OVEN How many separate wall ovens do you have in your home?
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NEXT |
If STOVEN>0: STOVENIND Else if STOVE>0: STOVEIND Else: TVCOLOR |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
None |
STOVENIND |
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ASK |
If STOVEN>0 |
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Does your [If STOVEN>1: most used] stove/range have an induction cooktop?
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NEXT |
If STOVE>0: STOVEIND Else: TVCOLOR |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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STOVEIND |
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ASK |
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Is your [If STOVE>1: most used] separate cooktop an induction cooktop?
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NEXT |
TVCOLOR |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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TVCOLOR |
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ASK |
All respondents |
How many televisions are used in your home? If none, please enter “0.”
____ Televisions
{{ALLOW RANGE 00-30}
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NEXT |
If TVCOLOR>0 : TVUSE1A, TVUSE1B Else: DESKTOP, LAPTOP, TABLET, PCPRINT, SMARTPHN, CELLPHN |
NOTE |
Question is included to satisfy skip logic for TV usage (TVUSE1A/TVUSE1B). |
PROBES |
None |
TVUSE1A, TVUSE1B |
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ASK |
If TVCOLOR>0 |
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What is the main use of your most used television?
3 Streaming content via built-in smart TV apps 4 Streaming content via a separate streaming device connected to the television 5 Playing video games
What is the main use of your most used television?
2 Streaming content via built-in smart TV apps or a separate streaming device 3 Playing video games 4 Other (please specify):
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NEXT |
DESKTOP, LAPTOP, TABLET, PCPRINT, SMARTPHN, CELLPHN |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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DESKTOP, LAPTOP, TABLET, PCPRINT, SMARTPHN, CELLPHN |
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ASK |
All Respondents |
How many of each of the following are used in your home? If none, please enter “0.”
________ Desktop computer (DESKTOP) ________ Laptop computer (LAPTOP) ________ Tablet computer or e-reader (for example: iPad or Kindle) (TABLET) ________ Printer, scanner, fax machine, or copier (PCPRINT) ________ “Smart” phones (for example, iPhone or Android) (SMARTPHN) ________ Other cellular phones (CELLPHN)
{ALLOW RANGE 00-30 FOR ALL} |
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NEXT |
If DESKTOP > 0: TIMEON1 Else if LAPTOP > 0: TIMEON1 Else if TABLET > 0: TIMEON1 Else: HEATHOME |
NOTE |
Question is included to satisfy skip logic for computer usage (TIMEON1). |
PROBES |
None |
TIMEON1 |
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ASK |
If DESKTOP+LAPTOP>0 |
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Thinking about the most used computer, how many hours is it used each day?
____ hours
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NEXT |
HEATHOME |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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HEATHOME |
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ASK |
All respondents |
Is your home heated during the winter?
1 Yes 2 No, I do not have any heating equipment 3 No, I have heating equipment but do not use it
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NEXT |
If HEATHOME=1 and TYPEHUQ in(4,5): APTHEAT If HEATHOME=1 and TYPEHUQ in(1,2,3): EQUIPM Else: AIRCOND |
NOTE |
Question is included to satisfy skip logic for heat pump back-up source question (HPBACKUP), wood amount (WOODAMT/PELLETAMT), secondary heating equipment (EQUIPAUX), and thermostat (THERMAIN). |
PROBES |
None |
APTHEAT |
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ASK |
If HEATHOME=1 and TYPEHUQ in(4,5) |
Is your main heating equipment located in your apartment unit, or is it located somewhere else in the building? 1 In apartment unit 2 Somewhere else in building
Don’t know
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NEXT |
If APTHEAT=1: EQUIPM Else: EQUIPAUX |
NOTE |
Question is included to satisfy skip logic for heat pump back-up source question (HPBACKUP) and wood amount (WOODAMT/PELLETAMT). |
PROBES |
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EQUIPM |
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ASK |
If HEATHOME=1 and (TYPEHUQ in(1,2,3) or APTHEAT=1)) |
What is the main type of heating equipment used to provide heat for your home?
Don't know
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NEXT |
If EQUIPM = 4: HPBACKUP Else: FUELHEAT |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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HPBACKUP |
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ASK |
If EQUIPM = 4 |
Many heat pumps have a backup heating method that can be used when it is very cold. What type of backup heating does your heat pump use?
Don't know
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NEXT |
FUELHEAT |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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FUELHEAT |
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ASK |
If HEATHOME=1 and (TYPEHUQ in(1,2,3) or APTHEAT=1)) |
What is the fuel used by your main heating equipment?
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NEXT |
If FUELHEAT=7: WOODAMT, PELLETAMT Else: EQUIPAUX |
NOTE |
Question is included to satisfy skip logic for wood amount (WOODAMT/PELLETAMT). Probe is meant to capture additional information related to HPBACKUP. |
PROBES |
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WOODAMT/PELLETAMT |
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ASK |
If FUELHEAT=7 |
In the past year, about how much wood or pellets did your household use? Total amount of wood logs used in the past year: _____ cords (WOODAMT)
Total amount of wood pellets used in the past year: _____ [ ] 40-pound bags [ ] tons (PELLETAMT)
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NEXT |
EQUIPAUX |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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EQUIPAUX |
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ASK |
If HEATHOME=1 |
In addition to your main heating equipment, does your household also use any of the following as a second source for heating your home? If more than one, select the type most frequently used.
In addition to your main heating equipment, does your household also use any of the following as a second source for heating your home? If more than one, select the type most frequently used.
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NEXT |
MOISTURE |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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MOISTURE |
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ASK |
All respondents |
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Humidifiers add moisture to the air and are often used in the winter. Is a humidifier used in your home?
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NEXT |
If MOISTURE>0: USEMOISTURE Else: AIRCOND |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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USEMOISTURE |
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ASK |
If MOISTURE>0 |
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In the last year, how many months was the humidifier used?
_____ months
{ALLOW RANGE 0 – 12)
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NEXT |
AIRCOND |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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AIRCOND |
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ASK |
All respondents |
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Is any air conditioning equipment used in your home?
0 No
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NEXT |
If AIRCOND=1 and TYPEHUQ in(4,5): APTCOOL Else if AIRCOND=1 and TYPEHUQ in(1,2,3): ACEQUIPM Else if HEATHOME = 1: THERMAIN Else if TYPEHUQ = 4 OR 5: APTH20 Else if TYPEHUQ in (1, 2, 3): WHEATSIZ Else: LGTINNUM |
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NOTE |
Question is included to satisfy skip logic for air conditioning equipment (ACEQUIPM) and thermostat (THERMAIN). |
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PROBES |
None |
APTCOOL |
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ASK |
If TYPEHUQ in(4,5) and AIRCOND=1 |
Is your main air conditioning equipment located in your apartment unit, or is it located somewhere else in the building? 1 In apartment unit 2 Somewhere else in building
Don’t know
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NEXT |
If APTCOOL=1: ACEQUIPM Else: THERMAIN |
NOTE |
Question is included to satisfy skip logic for air conditioning equipment (ACEQUIPM). |
PROBES |
None |
ACEQUIPM |
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ASK |
If AIRCOND=1 and (TYPEHUQ in(1,2,3) or APTCOOL=1)) |
What is the main type of air conditioning equipment used to cool your home?
Don’t know
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NEXT |
THERMAIN |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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NUMCFAN, NUMFLOORFAN |
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ASK |
All respondents |
How many of the following types of fans does your household use? If none, please enter “0.”
_____ Number of ceiling fans (NUMCFAN) _____ Number of floor or window fans (NUMFLOORFAN)
{ALLOW RANGE 0 – 50 FOR ALL}
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NEXT |
NOTMOIST |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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NOTMOIST |
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ASK |
All respondents |
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Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air and are often used in the summer. Is a dehumidifier used in your home?
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NEXT |
If NOTMOIST>0: USENOTMOIST Else: THERMAIN |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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USENOTMOIST |
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ASK |
If NOTMOIST>0 |
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In the last year, how many months was the dehumidifier used?
_____ months
{ALLOW RANGE 0 – 12}
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NEXT |
THERMAIN |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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THERMAIN |
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ASK |
If HEATHOME=1 or AIRCOND=1 |
What kind of thermostat does your household use to control the temperature inside your home?
Don’t know
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NEXT |
If HEATHOME=1: EQUIPMUSE If AIRCOND=1: ACEQUIPMUSE Else if TYPEHUQ = 4 OR 5: APTH20 Else if TYPEHUQ in (1, 2, 3): WHEATSIZ Else: LGTINNUM |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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EQUIPMUSE |
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ASK |
If HEATHOME=1 |
Which of the following best describes how your household controls the indoor temperature during the winter?
9 Other (please specify)
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NEXT |
If AIRCOND=1: ACEQUIPMUSE Else if TYPEHUQ = 4 OR 5: APTH20 Else if TYPEHUQ in (1, 2, 3): WHEATSIZ Else: LGTINNUM |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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ACEQUIPMUSE |
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ASK |
If AIRCOND=1 |
Which of the following best describes how your household controls the indoor temperature during the summer?
9 Other (please specify)
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NEXT |
If TYPEHUQ = 4 OR 5: APTH20 Else if TYPEHUQ in (1, 2, 3): WHEATSIZ Else: LGTINNUM |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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APTH2O |
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ASK |
If TYPEHUQ = 4 OR 5 |
Is your water heater located in your apartment unit, or is it located somewhere else in the building? 1 In apartment unit 2 Somewhere else in building
Don’t know
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NEXT |
If TYPEHUQ in (1, 2, 3) or APTH2O=1: WHEATSIZ Else: LGTINNUM |
NOTE |
Question is included to satisfy skip logic for air water heater question (WHEATBKT). |
PROBES |
None |
WHEATSIZ |
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ASK |
If TYPEHUQ in (1, 2, 3) OR APTH20 = 1 |
What is the approximate size of your main water heater?
Don’t know
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NEXT |
WHEATBKT |
NOTE |
Question is included to satisfy skip logic for air water heater question (WHEATBKT). |
PROBES |
None |
WHEATBKT |
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ASK |
If WHEATSIZ in (1,2,3) |
If your main water heater insulated using a water heater blanket?
Don’t know
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NEXT |
LGTINNUM |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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LGTINNUM |
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ASK |
All respondents |
About how many light bulbs are installed inside your home? Include light bulbs in ceiling fixtures and fans, table and floor lamps, as well as those used infrequently, such as in hallways, closets, and garages. For fixtures with multiple bulbs, count each bulb separately.
1 Fewer than 20 light bulbs 2 20 to 39 light bulbs 3 40 to 59 light bulbs 4 60 to 79 light bulbs
Don’t Know
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NEXT |
ILTUSE |
NOTE |
Question is included to provide context for OLTWHEN. |
PROBES |
None |
ILTUSE |
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ASK |
All respondents |
How many of the light bulbs inside your home are turned on for…
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NEXT |
OLTUSE |
NOTE |
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PROBES |
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OLTUSE |
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ASK |
All respondents |
Does your home have any outside lights? For apartments, only consider light bulbs connected to or controlled by your unit.
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NEXT |
If OLTUSE = 1; OLTWHEN Else: EV1 |
NOTE |
Question is included to ease into OLTWHEN. The probe findings from OLTUSE also apply to OLTWHEN. |
PROBES |
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OLTWHEN |
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ASK |
All respondents |
When do you use outdoor lights? ______________________________________________________
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NEXT |
EV1 |
NOTE |
The probe findings from OLTUSE also apply to OLTWHEN. |
PROBES |
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EV2 |
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ASK |
If EV1 = 1 |
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What is the make and model of your electric vehicle?
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NEXT |
EV3 |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
None |
EV3 |
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ASK |
If EV1 = 1 |
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In what month and year did you purchase or lease your electric vehicle?
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NEXT |
EV4 |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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EV4 |
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ASK |
If EV1 = 1 |
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During a typical week, at which of the following places do you charge your electric vehicle? Please select all that apply.
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NEXT |
EV5 |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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EV5 |
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ASK |
If EV1 = 1 |
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[Web: SF home and “Your home” selected in EV4] During a typical week, about how much of the charging for your electric vehicle is done at your home?
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NEXT |
EV6 |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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EV6 |
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ASK |
If EV1 = 1 |
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[Web: SF home and “Your home” selected in EV4] When charging at home, what time of day is your electric vehicle typically charged? Please select all that apply.
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NEXT |
EV7 |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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EV7 |
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ASK |
If EV1 = 1 |
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[If SF home and “Your home” selected in EV4] Which best describes the electric vehicle charger used at your home?
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NEXT |
EV8 |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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EV8 |
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ASK |
If EV1 = 1 |
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During a typical week, about how many total miles are driven in your electric vehicle?
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NEXT |
END |
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NOTE |
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PROBES |
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Those are all the questions I have for you. Do you have any other feedback you’d like to share about the survey that we haven’t already discussed?
Thank you so much for participating!
File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
Author | Hronis, Carolyn |
File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
File Created | 2021-01-14 |