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
In this report, the project teamaim to draw together findings from different parts of the Energy Technology Institute’s two year Consumer Response and Behaviour programme. This programme aimed to better understand the needs, behaviours and attitudes of consumers in order to design more effective and more attractive solutions. It deployed a wide range of methods to help those designing new and compelling energy solutions.The report highlights the importance of considering a wider range of needs and benefits offered by solutions.The report covers:Heat and HumansThe UK Heat LandscapeThe ChallengeMeeting the ChallengeWhat do consumers need from heat?What needs drive consumer use of heat?What do consumers do to heat their homes, heat water and keep warm?How do needs drive behaviours?How do consumer behaviours impact energy consumption?How do we design better solutions?What are the challenges?How to improve uptake/generate demand?What are the potential impacts of better solutions?Implications for the marketAppendix: Detailed Needs LinkagesThis report was prepared for the ETI by the consortium that delivered the project in 2013 and whose contents may be out of date and may not represent current thinking.
In this report, the project teamaim to draw together findings from different parts of the Energy Technology Institute’s two year Consumer Response and Behaviour programme. This programme aimed to better understand the needs, behaviours and attitudes of consumers in order to design more effective and more attractive solutions. It deployed a wide range of methods to help those designing new and compelling energy solutions.The report highlights the importance of considering a wider range of needs and benefits offered by solutions.The report covers:Heat and HumansThe UK Heat LandscapeThe ChallengeMeeting the ChallengeWhat do consumers need from heat?What needs drive consumer use of heat?What do consumers do to heat their homes, heat water and keep warm?How do needs drive behaviours?How do consumer behaviours impact energy consumption?How do we design better solutions?What are the challenges?How to improve uptake/generate demand?What are the potential impacts of better solutions?Implications for the marketAppendix: Detailed Needs LinkagesThis 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.