Editor: Aside from the issues of too few installers, delays in grant payments and the need for a long-term committed programme, the government must also address how it will encourage behaviour change among homeowners on energy efficiency.
Unlike electric vehicles, there is no pull towards home energy efficiency, or at least not one that is being presented in an accessible or desirable way. Smart meters started to go there, but efficiency is only part of the challenge.
We are going to need to change our heating systems, the way we use energy and where it is sourced from. If anything, people who do have the means to make positive changes in their homes (like installing renewable energy sources) have been burnt by previous government changes to policy on grants and subsidies and, as a result, many are now sceptical about the value of doing this.
The government faces a huge communication and behaviour change challenge. We all need to use less energy and invest in our homes more to make them energy efficient over the next 20 years, but consumers are not aware of this.
The government and energy companies must incentivise and stimulate us to change. They must demonstrate the value of making our homes green – showing homeowners how much they can save both financially and in terms of their carbon footprint. They must look for ways to talk about this at key moments to make it feel relevant, for example a review during house moves. And, perhaps most importantly, they must make all of this feel easy for people.
Put simply, our homes are the biggest contributor to our carbon footprint, and no one knows it, let alone what to do about it.
Ben Hayman, chief client officer, Given
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