Aim

Since 2008, USEA has been helping Milton Keynes Council allocate its Carbon Offset Fund (COF) to the maximum benefit of local residents. Our focus has been on reducing carbon by increasing the energy efficiency of existing housing stock. The fund provides a subsidy making it possible for residents to get loft or cavity wall insulation installed for just £95 each. By using an Area Based Approach (ABA) alongside more standard marketing USEA has consistently delivered the volume and quality of leads needed to match the available remaining funds.  

AchievementS

2009/10 Headline Results 

• Insulation Referrals 4602
• Addresses installed 2470
• Canvassing leads that installed 1100
• Funds allocated (COF) £404,656
• Grants attracted  (CERT) £521, 871
• Carbon Savings (CO2 t pa) 1434

Of nearly 2500 households that installed insulation measures in Milton Keynes during 2009/10, around 45% were engaged on the doorstep by a canvasser. There is strong evidence that this ABA activity also generated word of mouth leading to further calls.

For every pound of COF money spent a further pound of energy supplier funding (CERT) has been attracted. This makes the high volume of installations possible through an ABA additionally attractive. In 2009/10 over £0.5m of extra funding was attracted into Milton Keynes thanks to the Council's initiative.

How we did it

Working closely with the Council, we used research, mapping and prioritisation to ensure that areas with the best potential were targeted first. A team of four neighbourhood canvassers was deployed, working door to door, part-time. Canvassers wore badges and carried information sheets to be left with householders opting for a free survey. Other marketing was arranged to take place in parallel including PR, mailings and print distribution. USEA's call centre handled all telephone queries.

If you would like to find out more about how an ABA could accelerate installed measures in your area, please contact us.