Joining up Home Energy Advice

Keeping Independent Home Energy Advice Alive

Every day 50 people are hospitalised because they live in one of the country’s estimated 1.6 million energy-wasting houses. Home Energy Advice Centres (HEACs) exist to inform householders what they can do about this in their own homes and lives.

One key function of the HEAC’s is to be seen to provide impartial, unbiased and accurate information to particularly to hard to reach groups. But the HEACs themselves face challenges in how to sustainably improve and resource the service.

Hikurangi helped the HEACs conduct a client survey, to explore business models to sustain and grow the service. The service is very effective: 67% of respondents reported they took action as a direct consequence of the advice they received, and that 74% of respondents felt more confident about making changes to their homes as a consequence of HEAC’s advice.

It seems that the personal contact with independent HEACs provide important reinforcement for even minor behaviour changes. This and other findings from the research have helped to direct future improvements to HEACs service and to draft a business case to help find sustainable funding for the service.

Project Date- 2009

Project Grant- $ 25,000 plus mentoring and facilitation by Hikurangi

“Great service – otherwise [there is an] overwhelming choice of info and little of it impartial information. She followed up with an email and brochures/fact sheets in the mail. Excellent service.” HEAC client and OPUS evaluation participant

“Hikurangi has been invaluable at helping me make new connections. For me working in the community sector (rather than public sector) has been a breath of fresh air in terms of the potential collaboration that is possible through mutual objectives and good will.” ~ Sally Blackwell, Project Partner & EECN CE