What is the impact of advice on using heating controls from a trusted messenger? Results from a trial

Dr Jeremy Vincent, Deputy Head of Customer Insight

2 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

Advice vs. Information

Trusted messenger?

Available gas boiler

engineers

(n = 18)

Randomisation

Control

6 engineers perform gas

safety checks as per

normal

Advice

6 engineers perform

gas safety checks and

deliver advice

Leaflet

6 engineers perform

gas safety checks and

leave leaflet

Two meter readings, in m3 or f3 converted to kWh

Outcome

Household kWh used

during trial, winter

months

Outcome

Household kWh used

during trial, winter

months

Outcome

Household kWh used

during trial, winter

months

Trial design

4 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

Delivery and evaluation timeline

5 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

Who participated?Summary of meter read return rates  

  1st readings 2nd readings Conversion %Usable

observations

Leaflet 570 518 91 478

Advice 312 291 93 280Control 674 589 87 530

Total 1556 1398 90 1288

6 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

…from which types of homes?

Flat House Other Pre 1920 1920-1960

1961-1985

1 2 3 4+

Property type Age of property Number of bedrooms

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Leaflet

Advice

Control

7 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

…with what kinds of heating controls?

Analogue Digital Yes NoType of programmer Pre-pay meters

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Leaflet Advice

Control

8 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

What was the impact?

No significant overall reduction in gas consumption during the trial period for advice or information

Analysis controlling for different characteristics of the three groups (physical housing characteristics, pre-paid meters, engineer) also identified no impact

Analysis provides coherent evidence on the predictors of energy use, such as number of bedrooms

9 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

What did we learn about the process?

Range of individual level impacts

• Knowledge, behavioural and impacts identified

• Influenced by household composition, occupancy, circumstance

Why no impact at the aggregate level?

• Link between knowledge and behaviour; behaviour change not always leading to more efficient energy use

Key learning

• Advice described as having greater influence, leaflet as memory aid; trusted messenger effective mechanism

10 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

Learning for future trials:

Boiler engineers were trusted messengers and valued

Meter reading analysis possible - but Smart Meters would be better

Practical lessons around implementing this kind of intervention – inc. successful delivery partnership

11 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

‘Advice on how to use heating controls: Evaluation of a trial in Newcastle’

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-energy-climate-change

jeremy.vincent@decc.gsi.gov.uk

12 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

13 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial

Table 3.3 Regression results

  (1) (2) (3) (4)

(Intercept/control group) 4.455*** 5.563 5.601 9.597

  (0.099) (7.123) (7.352) (8.228)

Leaflet 0.094 0.071 0.082 0.721

  (0.144) (0.142) (0.148) (0.543)

Advice 0.220 0.215 0.194 0.721

  (0.169) (0.171) (0.176) (0.541)

Physical characteristics  

See

Appendix

See

Appendix

See

Appendix

Pre-paid meter    

See

Appendix

See

Appendix

Engineer       See Appendix

14 Results from Newcastle heating controls advice trial