Engagement.

Supporting BEIS with the transition away from high carbon fossil fuel heating systems.

 

  • The Challenge.

    The UK Government has set the goal for the UK to become carbon neutral by 2050. In their 2021 Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener, BEIS outlined a number of focus areas to help achieve this ambition, including power, heating and transport.

    Heating domestic and non-domestic buildings (excluding industry) were responsible for 20% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019.

    BEIS needed robust evidence about the impacts of a transition to low carbon heating technologies among non-domestic customers off the gas grid to understand how government policy could enable future change.

  • How We Created Clarity.

    Dawn designed and directed a programme of research which provided a wealth of evidence across key stakeholder groups. This included:

    1.   Triangulation – A review of existing knowledge and identification of any gaps requiring exploration in this research programme

    2.   Quantitative engagement with 300 non-domestic consumers and 200 installers via telephone interviews

    3.   Follow up explorative interviews with 20 non-domestic consumers and 15 installers to qualitatively explore needs, concerns and practical support required.

    Creative recruitment approaches were adopted to engage with this audience, particularly the explorative qualitative interviews which took place within the constraints of Covid-19 lockdown measures.

  • The Result.

    A wealth of robust and in-depth feedback was comprehensively analysed and recommendations for future policy made.


    Two reports have been published, available here:

    Social research with non-domestic consumers in buildings in off gas grid areas of England and Wales

    Social research with installers of heating systems in off gas grid areas of England and Wales

  • The Impact.

    The engagement identified barriers to the installation of heating systems other than gas central heating, many of which were common for installers and non-domestic consumers such as upfront costs and knowledge levels. Practical methods for overcoming these barriers were identified, for example accessibility of training and upskilling, and use of incentives.

    BEIS are using the findings to develop support mechanisms and policies for both non-domestic consumers and installers with the phase out of fossil fuel heating systems off the gas grid.

Our Work