The Testlands Local Energy Advice Demonstrator (LEAD) project was established to provide high-quality, personalised energy advice to homeowners and private renters across Southampton and the Isle of Wight. With rising energy costs and increasing concerns about home efficiency, the project aims to support residents in making informed decisions that improve their comfort while reducing their bills.
Reaching Diverse Communities with In-Person Advice
An extensive programme of talks and drop-in sessions was designed, working closely with groups such as the Women’s Institute, Alzheimer’s Cafés and Veterans Organisations. This face-to-face engagement has been vital in reaching those who may not access online services or proactively seek energy advice. For residents who are digitally excluded, this has been a crucial method of support, ensuring that no one is left behind in the transition to a more energy-efficient home.
Collaboration and Innovation: The Role of Green Isle of Wight and Digital Twin Mapping
To extend reach, Testlands partnered with Green Isle of Wight CIC to deliver the project on the Isle of Wight. This collaboration enabled the project to compare different demographic needs and tailor approaches accordingly. In addition, Green Isle of Wight is part of the UK Government’s Digital Twin for Retrofit trials, using advanced mapping techniques to identify homes in need of energy efficiency improvements. This data-driven approach ensures that support is targeted efficiently and effectively.
Personalised Support Through Fairer Warmth
The project delivers initial energy advice either in person or online through the Fairer Warmth web app. This platform allows energy advisers to register and track engagement, ensuring consistent and high-quality guidance across both regions. Through this approach, support is tailored to individual needs while maintaining a consistent standard of advice delivery.
Supporting Residents Through Home Improvement Grants
Home assessments are used to help determine whether a resident is eligible for government funding for home improvements. Instead of using the term retrofit, which some find off-putting, the focus is on practical home upgrades that improve comfort and efficiency. The team assists residents throughout the application process, providing one-to-one support to ensure they understand their options. Qualified Domestic Energy Assessors and Retrofit Assessors conduct full property assessments and remain a trusted point of contact throughout the entire process, including follow-up visits to ensure new systems are optimally set up.
Lessons from Community Events
Initially, energy advice provision was trialled at Testlands community events, but engagement levels were low compared to the number of attendees. A key takeaway was that when families attend events for leisure, they are often not in the mindset to discuss financial or home energy concerns. Additionally, without dedicated activities to engage children, parents found it difficult to focus on advice sessions. This experience reinforced the importance of delivering energy advice in the right place at the right time.
Key Learnings: Trust and Community Engagement
- Transparency is key – explaining the potential disruption of home improvements upfront helps manage expectations
- Jargon should be avoided – simplifying technical terms ensures people feel empowered, not overwhelmed
- Engagement must be done with the community – not to the community
Impact So Far: Helping Residents Save Energy and Money
The outreach programme has reached 6,481 people, with 1,449 residents receiving personalised energy advice. Each person receiving personalised support is offered a home visit, where we conduct a home energy assessment using ThermaFY software.
During these visits, we:
- Generate a complete floor plan of the property.
- Check insulation levels and identify heat loss points.
- Assess the boiler make & model and measure its efficiency.
- Capture thermal images of each radiator to detect heat loss.
- Identify quick-fix improvements such as bleeding radiators, adjusting flow temperatures, sealing draughts, and replacing inefficient bulbs.
These simple yet effective measures can immediately reduce heating energy usage by 10% or more, providing direct savings for residents.
Case Studies:
To see how the LEAD programme is making a difference in Southampton and the Isle of Wight, read the case studies on The Green Isle of Wight website :
