ENERGY ADVICE

Introduction

Energy advice and training are important elements of developing an affordable warmth strategy, high standards of provision can produce a wide range of benefits.  This paper provides guidance on how to deliver effective energy advice and training services.

Energy Advice

Effective domestic energy efficiency advice should be specific to individuals and their circumstances.  Energy advice has the capacity to provide fuel cost savings for all households.  The Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes has developed a code of practice for providers of domestic energy advice.  The standards that have been formulated by the partnership aim to ensure high provision by advice agencies and individuals.  The key standards require:

• a systematic and consistent approach to establish the needs of the customer/enquirer
• advice that is impartial and comprehensible
• information and advice that is clear, useful, customer friendly and suited to the differing needs of customers/enquirers
• sensible solutions to energy efficiency queries/problems
• any advice given must be accurate, current and based on a reliable source a designated person within the organisation with responsibility for ensuring that staff receive relevant training
• customers/enquirers must be treated with respect and given equal access to energy efficiency advice
• systems should be in place within the organisation to refer customers/enquirers elsewhere for more specialist advice
• there is a clear and publicly available written policy on complain handling

  The code of practice also provides advice on a variety of different situations such as face-to-face advice, point of sale advice and advice when installing energy efficiency measures.

The need to ask questions to obtain relevant information from the customer:

•  to explore with them ways of improving the energy efficiency of their home
• asking questions in order to understand the customer’s circumstances
• using information gathered to advise on behavioural changes and measures to install together with details of cost and potential savings to hand when questioning.

Follow-up calls with printed information, energy audits and visits where appropriate:

• ensuring advice and information is followed up with specific literature on how to proceed.
• having arrangements for home visits, either in-house or through a third party

Identify and help customers who might be eligible for grants:

• ask questions to determine grant eligibility
• provide information on grants, the application procedure and timescale involved

Ensuring easy access, professional help and positive outcomes:

• have a well-publicised local call rate or freephone number for customers contacting the advice service.
• record details of incoming calls, advice provided and printed information distributed for future reference
• ensure adequate staffing levels with personnel who have appropriate qualifications
• develop a system for monitoring outcomes of advice provision and behaviour change,  such as sending out a questionnaire to a sample of customers who have received advice/measures.

  NEA welcomes Ofgem’s call on fuel suppliers to demonstrate their commitment to providing quality advice by signing up to the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes Code of Practice on Energy Advice.

Recently the government has determined that homes will have an energy report.  The opportunity to provide energy advice should be taken at the time this report is produced.  This could deliver substantial energy savings, even if the householder were only referred to their local advice centre.  Better still, if home inspectors were trained advisers, they would be able to give realistic advice at nil cost to the taxpayer.

Updated: 08/06/2007