We have released a practical toolkit to help funded energy efficiency schemes become more people-centered.
This toolkit experiments with changing one aspect of energy efficiency scheme delivery in an attempt to shift culture. We explore what happens if we turn our approach to designing retrofit schemes on its head. Rather than working to the needs and priorities of a funder or existing supply chain, we ask first: what would a successful energy efficiency scheme look like from the point of view of a resident-client experiencing energy vulnerability? By understanding this we can look to make the funding environment, the supply chain, and procurement approaches work for people.
The toolkit looks at the project cycle of an energy efficiency scheme before, during, and after installation. At each stage it asks the following questions:
- What is important from the resident-client’s point of view?
- Why are the factors outlined important in the context of energy vulnerability?
- As a result, what aspects should be considered in the design of the scheme?
This toolkit has been designed for use by scheme managers, whether they work for a Local Authority, a Housing Association, an energy company, a charity or in the co-operative and community sector.
This research is the outcome of the Electricity North West funded Warm Homes for All project. It has been informed by desk-based research and ten interviews undertaken with six local authority workers, two charity workers, one contractor, and one journalist during 2019 and 2020.
The direct experience of resident-clients will feed into future editions of the toolkit. This work is not intended to be static but to be added to and evolve with continuing research. If you would like to contribute to this research please get in touch via info@carbon.coop.
Watch the Retrofit for All webinar in which Aneaka Kellay goes into further detail around the research that informed the development of the toolkit.
