Funded by UKERC, this project involved the development of a social relations approach to ‘retrofit’ – the installation of energy efficiency measures in buildings.
Households are a big emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for 26% of total UK emissions. In 2021, however, just 150,000 homes underwent energy efficiency upgrades (‘retrofit’) via Government schemes, e.g. ECO. The Leeds-led team found these national schemes fail because they privilege financial incentives and overlook place-based relational factors shaping household decision-making.
Using their research and building upon four years of collaboration with UK-wide partners, this Impact Acceleration Account project was co-designed with Leeds City Council and Otley Energy. These local stakeholders are now piloting a place-based ‘Retrofit Accelerator Hub’ shaped by the team’s ‘relational framework’.
By assessing the Hub’s impact, they produced outputs advising multiple beneficiaries on using a relational approach to retrofit. The impact pathway is significant, with national government (DESNZ), charities, local authorities, regional and national financial institutions, and place-based retrofit schemes (e.g. National Retrofit Hub) asking for our help in delivering this new approach to UK retrofit.
This project was funded by the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account 2023–2024.
Resources
Contacts
Partners
- Leeds City Council
- Otley Energy