Posted 30.06.14
A major new study of people's energy use in the home has found that giving people feedback on their energy use can have as big an impact in cutting bills as installing loft insulation or upgrading a boiler - a saving equivalent to 2.7m tonnes of carbon per year for the UK.
The National Energy Study found that when given regular feedback over an extended period of time, people changed their habits to use less energy, with average savings of nearly £80 per year on combined gas and electricity bills.
The study examines the effect of 'smileys', sometimes known as emoticons, on people's energy use in the home. Potentially a simple and cheap way of giving feedback, people received a 'happy face' when their energy use was low relative to the rest of the group, and a 'sad face' when it was high.
Psychologists have speculated that people's motivation to save money is trumped by that to seek approval, or 'fit in'. All participants received energy-saving tips before taking part.
The report comes at a time when Government and opposition parties vie with each other to hold down consumers' bills, and regulators have called a competition inquiry. Ofgem recently wrote to the 'big six', asking them to explain why their bills have not fallen despite a drop in wholesale energy prices.
Andrew Eagles, Managing Director of Sustainable Homes, who conducted the study, said:
"These findings will be of great interest to anyone concerned with cutting energy bills - which, of course, is most of us.
"We know that people are always keen to save money - but what this study uncovers is that their natural desire for approval is at least as important, and probably more so.
"Nearly one third of the UK's emissions come from homes, and the results have implications for the roll-out of smart meters in the UK.
"They suggest we would be missing a trick if we did not take people's real motivations into account with a simple and cheap method like this when we try and reduce household energy consumption."
Other findings were:
Posted 02.06.14
Residents and housing association staff of Queen's Cross Housing Association gathered to see one of its new Ecopods lifted by crane on to the roof of a block of flats in Woodside.
The first project of kind to be installed in Scotland, the Ecopod green energy system will see more than 500 Woodside households benefit from warmer homes and up to 40% reduction in their heating and hot water bills.
The Ecopod is one of seven being installed by the Association on deck access properties in the north-west Glasgow neighbourhood, an area classified among the 15% most deprived in Scotland (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2012).
Queens Cross Chief Executive Shona Stephen said:
"Raising the energy efficiency of homes is the most sustainable way to tackle fuel poverty. Indications from comparison sites with Ecopod indicate that our tenants will see significant savings on their fuel bills.
"We are proud to be at the forefront of using innovative technology to reduce carbon emissions and energy usage and delighted to be working so collaboratively with Carillion and British Gas to deliver real benefits to tenants."
The Ecopods will be complimented by gas absorption heat pumps, which produce additional heat into the system to help reduce running costs overall.
A bespoke Building Management System also monitors the system centrally and continually to ensure optimum performance for householders.
The new system will result in the Association meeting its 2020 carbon reduction targets early and exceeding the Scottish Housing Quality Standard for energy efficiency.