Austin Utilities is getting some positive feedback on its Home Energy Reports program.

A recent set of phone surveys found a majority of HER program recipients are happy to receive reports on their energy usage.

The surveys, conducted last month, found 61 percent of respondents said they are glad to receive the reports and they find the information useful. About half of customers surveyed also said the reports improved their feelings toward the utility. Above all, most customers liked the neighbor comparison feature on the reports best.

“Austin Utilities is committed to helping our customers understand their energy usage and how to become more energy efficient,” Mark Nibaur, general manager, said in a press release. “We’re pleased that our customers have been able to save on energy and reduce their energy costs.”

Developed by software provider Opower, the Home Energy Reports combine behavioral science with data analytics to provide customers with detailed information about their energy usage.

The reports include an anonymous comparison against a group of similarly sized and equipped homes in the area, usage history comparisons, goal setting tools, and progress trackers. The reports have been successfully deployed at multiple utilities across the country with an average of between 1.5 percent and 3.5 percent savings per utility.

Since the program started in 2009, Austin Utilities customers have saved 9,500 MWhs and over 400,000 Therms, the equivalent of preserving a 5,000-acre forest, taking 2,000 cars of the road or saving 20,000 barrels of oil.