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

This study, conducted as part ofthe Consumer Response and Behaviour project, comprised a quantitative social survey of 2,313 British households which took place in January and February 2014. A quota sampling approach was followed to generate a nationally representative sample, with quotas set on tenure, property type and the presence of children. Respondents completed a face-to-face interview lasting around an hour in which they answered questions relating to their facilities for heating, cooling and hot water, their heat energy needs and their behaviour in relation to use of heat energy. Crucially, respondents completed a card sort exercise in which they organised a range of pre-defined heat energy needs into factors that had big, small or no influences on their heat energy behaviour. The items on the cards were informed by a literature review and qualitative research. Where respondents consented (89% of cases), interviewers conducted observations of the heating and hot water systems and physical features of the property. Respondents were given a paper self-completion questionnaire (covering mainly their recent and desired renovation activities); 78% of respondents returned the self-completion questionnaire.

Conclusions are drawn in answer to the following:

Heat energy needs
Heating the home and keeping warm
What do people do to keep warm?
Keeping cool
Heating water and using hot water
Heat energy solutions
A technical appendix contains supporting information on sampling , questionnaire design, briefings, fieldwork, editing and coding, data weighting, and analysis and reporting.

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:

2014

Publisher:

ETI

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5286/ukerc.edc.000586

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:

2745724 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