Partnership and Engagement

How do limbo dancing, landlords and student energy habits link

#EnergizeWorcester: a case study on student energy behaviour off campus

Katy Boom, University of WorcesterPeng Li, Worcester Students’ Union

Turn to the person next to you:

1. Who are you

2. Who do you work for

3. What do you do

4. What would you like to get out from this

session

What we hope you will get from this session

• Brief overview of #EnergizeWorcester -

partnership to promote behaviour change and

lower energy consumption.

• Define the issues for landlords and students

around energy efficiency in student housing.

• Lesson learnt so far

• What are the key challenges

• Where do we go from here

#EnergizeWorcester in Brief

Partnership and

Engagement

• HEFCE Funded Student Green Fund project - £170k over 2 years

• Students Skills – paid, volunteer, curriculum projects

• Support landlords to retrofit student houses to improve energy

efficiency

• Encourage students to adopt energy efficient behaviour in privately

rented student houses

• Partnership- Councils, NLA, SmartmetersUK, Eon, ChangeAgents

• Multiple behaviour change interventions - to compare effectiveness,

including installing SMART meters

• Develop a cost effective model which could be replicated in any

university town

Partnership and

Engagement

Issues Landlords

• Those with a good relationship with uni/council very

engaged

• Want their properties heated adequately preventing

condensation/mould

Students

• Inclusive rents - ‘get their monies worth’

• Exclusive – Save money so don’t heat adequately

• Agree with the principles of project, but no knowledge of

how

Partnership and

Engagement

Key project parameters

• Number of students trained and accredited as energy

advisors/advocates

• Number of households engaged

• Number of student tenants reached

• Amount of energy/carbon/money saved

• Attitudes to energy saving

• Energy saving habits maintained

Partnership and

Engagement

Our approach

• Recruit and train students as accredited Energy Advocates to

support peers with energy advice

• Feedback system through online software. A bespoke online

application gives instant feedback on their home energy

consumption

• Financial incentives to encourage participation and commitment

• Smart meter installation in selected houses

• Provide extra-curricular and curricula opportunities to students

enhancing employability

Energy Advocates

Partnership and

Engagement

‘Curriculum Project’

Partnership and

Engagement

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Engagement

Partnership and

Engagement

Partnership and

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Lessons learnt to date

1. Engaging with students on energy issues is a challenge, as it

is seen as not a high a priority to many students

2. Students have a significant knowledge gap in energy

awareness

3. Assumed financial incentives have not proved to be effective

to encourage energy saving: have we offered the ‘right kind’ to

attract students

4. A new brand #EnergizeWorcester needs time to gain trust;

better to use existing brands?

5. Student Advocate training is highly effective for the individual

but is this cost effective?

Partnership and

Engagement

Three key challenges

• How to monitor and evaluate a project – not

the same parameters we initially expected.

• How to effectively communicate to students in

order to raise awareness and encourage

participation – has using students worked?

• How to encourage effective behaviour change,

particularly involving lifestyle change

Partnership and

Engagement

In groups discuss a challenge

• Key questions around each challenge are

available to prompt discussions.

• List on flipchart all ideas/actions

• Decide as a group from the initial list the top

three ideas/actions

‘Aha’ moments – • In a pilot project if you don’t reach your expected

targets don’t despair all is not lost, there is time to refocus

• Students face a knowledge gap in fully understanding domestic energy use and the importance of energy efficiency.

• Effecting lifestyle changes, is not easy, takes time and you have to compete for students’ attention

Partnership and

Engagement