UKERC EDC: Publications

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Abstract:

The delivery of consumer energy requirements is a key focus of the Smart Systems and Heat Programme. The Consumer Response and Behavior Project will identify consumer requirements and predict consumer response to Smart Energy System proposals, providing a consumer focus for the other Work Areas. This project involved thousands of respondents providing insight into consumer requirements for heat and energy services, both now and in the future. Particular focus was given to identifying the behaviour that leads people to consume energy - in particular heat and hot water. This £3m project was led by PRP Architects, experts in the built environment. It involved a consortium of academia and industry - UCL Energy Institute, Frontier Economics, The Technology Partnership, The Peabody Trust, National Centre for Social Research and Hitachi Europe

Work Package 5.5 concerns the initial creation of smart energy concepts (solution scenarios) to be tested with consumers in forthcoming consumer research. These concepts are based on previous Work Area 5 project work including qualitative workshops, in-home interviews and literature review. For the purpose of this Work Package, a solution scenario is defined as a technology or integrated system of technologies that meets one or more consumer needs and the supporting value chain elements that enable that technology or system to deliver a positive consumer experience. Therefore, a solution scenario concept could include consideration of:

Financial support
Data or IT infrastructure
Physical infrastructure
Supply chain
Legislation
Education, training and skills
Enabling products and tools
Other stakeholders

The consortium created the following six concepts:

Healthy Home HEMS
Remote Zone HEMS
Designer Retrofit
Smarter Secondary Heating
Complete Comfort
Community Retrofit Pathways

Each solution scenario revealed elements that should be tested as part of forthcoming concept development work, unique to that solution scenario. However, a number of recurring themes emerged for multiple concepts that could be considered across these, and potentially other, concept:

Payment - Who pays for the service (capital costs, ongoing costs, etc.) and what funding mechanisms would best suit the concept from a customer and commercial perspectives?
Data Management and Protection - What data is essential for the delivery of the concept? Who needs to access and manipulate this data and how will this data be protected?
Trust - How can customers be inspired to trust the concept interms of the technologies themselves, the parties responsible for delivering the concept and in the advice they receive throughout?
Communication Channels - How will information be conveyed to the customer? From first contact through the life and usage of the system? Who will the messenger be? How will the concept be marketed?
Cross-Tenure Appeal - How might the concept appeal to different tenures? What about to different customer types? What is the market size for the concept?

This report was prepared for the ETI by the consortium that delivered the project in 2013 and whose contents may be out of date and may not represent current thinking.

Publication Year:

2013

Publisher:

ETI

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5286/UKERC.EDC.000545

Author(s):

Energy Endeavours Consortium

Energy Categories

Class Name:

Subclass Name:

Category Name:

Energy Efficiency

Residential and commercial

Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research

Other Supporting Data

Language:

English

File Type:

application/pdf

File Size:

14908042 B

Rights:

Energy Technologies Institute Open Licence for Materials

Rights Overview:

The Energy Technologies Institute is making this document available to use under the Energy Technologies Institute Open Licence for Materials. Please refer to the Energy Technologies Institute website for the terms and conditions of this licence. The Information is licensed "as is" and the Energy Technologies Institute excludes all representations, warranties, obligations and liabilities in relation to the Information to the maximum extent permitted by law. The Energy Technologies Institute is not liable for any errors or omissions in the Information and shall not be liable for any loss, injury or damage of any kind caused by its use. This exclusion of liability includes, but is not limited to, any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages in each case such as loss of revenue, data, anticipated profits, and lost business. The Energy Technologies Institute does not guarantee the continued supply of the Information. Notwithstanding any statement to the contrary contained on the face of this document, the Energy Technologies Institute confirms that it has the right to publish this document.

Further information:

N/A

Region:

United Kingdom

Publication Type:

Technical Report

Subject:

Social Factors

Theme(s):

Smart Systems and Heat

Related Dataset(s):

No related datasets