Home Energy Coach Pilot Project

2013 – 2014

The Home Energy Coach Pilot Project, was a test initiative funded by BC Hydro and delivered by City Green Solutions. The program was developed to provide post-evaluation support to homeowners in order to assist with the transition from energy evaluation to successful retrofits. The project was implemented in two phases:

Development of the Home Energy Coaching approach. The Home Energy Coach Evaluation Report was developed, along with a range of complementary tools, worksheets, and resources, to guide Home Energy Coaches in their support for participating homeowners. This phase provided positive indications that Home Energy Coaching, which complements the existing ERS with additional tools and personal coaching and support, can increase both energy savings and customer satisfaction.

Integration and standardization of the Home Energy Coaching concept, approach, and tools for use as an add-on service to existing and future energy evaluation programs or utility rebate programs, and to enhance the value of energy evaluations for utilities, consumers, and contractors. This phase included an analysis of the situational context of the home energy performance industry in BC and by a review of home energy conservation program best practices in North America.

Results:

  • 24% higher average energy savings for Home Energy Coach Participants than for Non-Participants.
  • 90% of Participants were either satisfied or very satisfied with the service.
  • 80% identified that the Home Energy Coach service was influential or very influential with regard to their home energy upgrade decisions.
  • After receiving Home Energy Coaching services, the percentage of Participants who strongly disagreed or disagreed to being knowledgeable about ways of saving energy around the home reduced from 52% to 4%.
  • After receiving Home Energy Coaching services, the percentage of Participants who either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement, “I am an active conserver who looks for opportunities to save energy in everything I do,” reduced from 40% to 12%.
  • Participants completed more of their originally planned energy upgrades than Non-Participants. Participants also completed more lighting and other energy upgrades than they had originally planned themselves (and more than did Non-Participants).