Stronghouse

Stronghouse E-Learning - Becoming Aware

05 September 2022 - Published by Deirdre Buist
The news headlines remind us, almost daily, of climate change and the energy crisis. The urgency to find energy efficient solutions and speed up the renovation wave is omnipresent. As politicians discuss regulations on a European, national and local level, digital and traditional media channels are contributing to a heightened awareness amongst the public – including a warning for extensive energy poverty, which is a very real prospect this winter. It can be difficult for individual stakeholders like homeowners to assimilate such global issues and translate these into concrete actions in terms of their home energy renovation. Stronghouse has now published Stage 2 of the e-Learning course to support their customer journey.

During the second stage  of the Stronghouse course the focus is on finding the best way to approach individuals and to encourage them to adopt energy renovation measures. Becoming aware is all about informing homeowners about the possibilities offered by energy renovation. At this stage, homeowners gain a basic knowledge of the benefits and learn more about the potential financial opportunities and energy savings.

Targeted communication

By using  personas and understanding their different motivations, we can follow individual customer journies and use targeted communication methods to guide homeowners towards the adoption of fitting energy  retrofit measures.

Stronghouse best practices

This latest course is divided into a number of chapters, including Challenges and Opportunities, Guiding Measures, Good Practices and a Summary with Key Learnings. It  includes a range of helpful tips   Some of the partners’ best practices are also highlighted – giving a glimpse of just some to the great work that has been undertaken already such as: 

  • Saving energy demands  behavioural change.  iNudgeyou have shared their nudging tools with the consortium.
  • Enabling instruments: Robert Gordon University have analysed and compared homeowner self-assessment tools
  • ProjectZero focusses on creating awareness of the energy label among homeowners and on increasing their understanding how to apply for a subsidy. 
  • Neighbourhood Approach from IGEMO using thermoscans. Finding and training volunteers.
  • Linnaeus University researches the hurdles on the renovation journey, especially the interaction between homeowners as customers and advisors, contractors, installers and suppliers, and  the One Stop Shop concept
  • Neighbourhood Approach from Bremerhaven: The City of Bremerhaven developed its ‘Klimameile’ concept to engage citizens, homeowners and entrepreneurs from the ‘Alte Bürger’ in creating an energy neutral neighbourhood. 

Stronger together!

Homeowners can motivate their neighbours  and neighbourhood campaigns underline the importance of connecting with locals in bottom-up initiatives. Local Energy Cooperatives can also play a key role in interesting homeowners in energy renovation and facilitate the organization of neighbourhood-based renovation offers.

Some take-aways

Does this trigger more interest? Here’s a taste of just some of the take-aways from this course:

  • Knowing your audience is key to designing targeted and effective information campaigns.
  • Agency is a powerful motivator: homeowners should experience that their actions have a positive effect.
  • Activities in the neighbourhood can motivate even more homeowners to change their behaviour and start their journey in energy renovation.

Follow Stage 2 of Stronghouse E-learning Course

Or click on the tab for more E-learning in the left hand column on the website home page.