Rising energy costs and welfare cuts continue to put a strain on household budgets, with the worst affected being forced to choose between heating, eating or paying the rent. Investment in physical improvements to homes have gone some way to helping households save energy. However there is growing recognition that the way people use their homes is a critical determinant of how much energy is actually saved. But given many households may be under heating their homes, how best can we help residents to safely manage their use? And how can we reach many residents with limited resources? This webinar will talk you through findings from the Count Us In project, and will cover: • What works when helping residents change their behaviour • The national smart meter roll out and how this could help • How best to deliver effective engagement with limited resources • The right messages to use with residents • What help and resources are available to support you • An opportunity to ask questions and share your experiences

1. Helping your residents cut
their energy bills
• Michael Carnuccio, Policy Officer, National Housing
Federation

3. What we will cover
• Overview of the Count Us In project
• Drivers of behaviour
• Different ways you could help your residents
• What messages to use
• Delivering engagement at scale
• Smart meters
• Help and resources available
• Questions

4. Count Us In
Aspire Housing
Sheltered housing schemes.
• Home advice visits
• Communal events
• Top-tips leaflet
Shepherds Bush Housing Group
Victorian street-based properties.
• Smart meters with in-home
display.
• All engagement was delivered
virtually, through an online social
networking platform.
Trafford Housing Trust
1960s tower blocks undergoing retrofit.
• Home advice visits
• Illustrated top-tips guide
• Community events
• Tenant energy champions
Helena Partnerships
1960s and 1970s houses.
• Smart meter with in-home display
• Home advice visits
• Workshops
• Quarterly information leaflets
Yorkshire Housing
A mix of housing types including off-gas
and new build.
• Home advice visits
• Personal action plans
• Feedback on consumption
• Advice leaflets and calendar

5. Poll – What have you tried in the
past?
• Energy saving advice
• Tariff switching advice
• Advice on using new heating/energy technology
• Information on website
• Newsletters and advice guides
• Telephone helpline
• Home visits
• Group events
• Tenant energy champions
• Feedback on consumption
• Other
• Haven’t carried any out yet

6. Buildings don’t use energy,
people do.
Count us in
Drivers of behaviour
Personal circumstances
Individual beliefs and attitudes
Knowledge and awareness
Social and household norms
Human nature

7. Types of interventions
Advice and guidance
Motivational campaigns
Making it easy
Feedback on consumption
How-to
Action plans
Demonstrations
Incentives
Pledges
Removing hassle factor
Prompts
Real-time, historic, comparative
Rewards
Competitions

8. Home visits
• Preferred by most
• Opportunity to tailor information
• Hands on demonstrations
• Leave residents small number of specific
actions
• Repeat visits important
• Familiar faces work best

9. Advice guides
• Help reinforce messages
• Plain English instructions
• But can be easily misplaced
• Don’t replace face to face interaction
• Short and pictorial works best

10. Group events
• Opportunity for residents to share
experiences and support
• But difficult to motivate attendance
• Familiar faces work best
• More social setting and focus
• Neighbourhood location

11. Feedback on consumption
• Helps with make energy use real
• Particularly appliance use
• Other households like you are just as
comfortable but using % less energy than
you are
• Simple graphs can work
• Smiley faces work too
• Link to specific advice
EFFICIENT
NEIGHBOURS
YOU
ALL
NEIGHBOURS
ELECTRICITY | 15% more electricity than your efficient neighbours.
HOW YOU’RE DOING
GREAT
GOOD
MORE THAN AVERAGE

12. So what messages are best?

13. Poll – What would help you better
deliver engagement?
• More staff resources (time/capacity)
• More funding
• Improved staff skills and confidence
• Access to support materials, such as templates for
advice guides and surveys
• Better buy-in from residents
• Better buy-in from senior management/Board

14. Programme delivery
Right time.
Right person.
Right format.

15. Right time
• Moments of change
• Established contact points
• Retrofit?

16. Right person
• Trusted messengers
• Front-line staff
• Community networks
• Training is key.
• Neighbourhood scale.
• Coordination across organisation.

17. Right format
• Mix of formats needed
• Succinct
• Graphic
• Engaging
• Online?

18. Plan and monitor
• Keep it simple and focused
• Keep it relevant and specific
• Small sustained efforts over time
• Remote monitoring recommended

19. • All home will receive one by 2020
• Energy companies will lead the rollout
• Many residents liked the idea of no more
estimated bills
• In-home display helped track appliance use
and cut down on electricity
• But use dropped off over time
• Some believed having a smart meter meant
they didn’t need to change their behaviour
• Installation process is key to motivating use
Smart meters

20. Poll – Housing associations role in
the smart meter rollout
• Raising awareness amongst residents
• Help energy companies coordinate installations
• Carrying out installations
• Engaging with residents post-installation to help
them get the most benefits
• No direct role
• Not sure, I don’t know enough about smart meters

21. Website
www.housing.org.uk/countusin
• Case studies
• Lessons learnt report
• Individual pilot reports
• Samples of materials used
My Home Energy Switch
• Free tariff and void service
• www.myhomeenergyswitch.org.uk
Staff training
Resources

22. Questions and discussion