Targeting travel and energy use after relocation: effects of a personalised intervention moderated by relocation disruptiveness

Residential relocation can disrupt habitual behaviours, offering a window of opportunity for encouraging sustainable lifestyle changes. This study tested the effectiveness of a personalised, web-based intervention aimed at reducing travel- and energy-related emissions among recent movers in Norway (n = 212). The intervention, delivered three months post-relocation, provided tailored feedback on participants’ carbon footprints and interactive behavioural suggestions. Outcomes included weekly car use, overnight car trips, flight frequency, and electricity consumption. Participants who received the intervention made significantly fewer weekly car trips (− 20%), and fewer overnight car trips (− 32%) than the control group. No significant differences were found for flight frequency or electricity consumption. The effect on weekly car use was moderated by changes in dwelling type: Among apartment-to-house movers, the intervention effect was pronounced. Among house-to-apartment movers, effects were smaller and short-lived. Movers to the same dwelling type were unaffected. Contrary to expectations, moving over longer distances did not enhance intervention effects. The findings support the habit discontinuity hypothesis, suggesting that interventions timed with relocation can facilitate behavioural change, particularly when the move is sufficiently disruptive. Directionality also matters: interventions can help maintain low car use among movers to more car-dependent environments. Additionally, the combination of high- and low-impact behavioural suggestions may have influenced participants’ focus, with more salient travel-related changes prioritised over energy-saving actions. These results highlight the importance of tailoring post-move interventions to the type and direction of relocation and carefully framing behavioural options to support broad and lasting change.