go to top scroll for more

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Quantifying heat energy needs and behaviours - Final Report


Citation Energy Endeavours Consortium Consumer Response and Behaviour - Quantifying heat energy needs and behaviours - Final Report, ETI, 2014. https://doi.org/10.5286/UKERC.EDC.000586.
Cite this using DataCite
Author(s) Energy Endeavours Consortium
Project partner(s) PRP Architects Limited, UCL Energy Institute, Frontier Economics, The Technology Partnership, The Peabody Trust, National Centre for Social Research, Hitachi Europe
Publisher ETI
DOI https://doi.org/10.5286/UKERC.EDC.000586
Download SSH_SS1501_7.pdf document type
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
Associated Project(s) ETI-SS1501: Smart Systems and Heat (SSH) Programme - Consumer Behaviour Study
Associated Dataset(s) No associated datasets
Associated Publication(s)

Consumer Response and Behaviour - An addendum to the request for proposals

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Environmental Monitoring to inform Social Research

Consumer Response and Behaviour - External Factors Report (WA5 WP5.3)

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Literature Review

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Pilot Research Methodology Presentation

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Pilot Research Report Presentation

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Primary Consumer Research (Phase 1) Report (WA5 WP5.4)

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Provisional Consumer Segmentation

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Request for Proposals

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Smart Energy Solutions - the Consumer Perspective - Final Report WA5

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Solution Scenarios Report (WA5 WP5.5)

Consumer Response and Behaviour - Synthesis Report - “Smart” Starts with the Consumer

Consumer Response and Behaviour - What people need and do that involves heat energy: Findings from qualitative research

ETI Insights Report - How Can People Get The Heat They Want At Home, Without The Carbon ?

List of projects for the ETI Smart Systems and Heat (SSH) Programme

SSH Stagegate 1 - Review of International Smart Systems and Heat Initiatives - Final Report