A common reason why homeowners do not complete home upgrades is that it is too time-consuming or overwhelming. Providing expertise and a streamlined upgrade process to homeowners can increase the number, depth, and breadth of energy-saving measures installed and improve customer satisfaction. Many programs offer energy advisor services, also known as energy coaching, to guide homeowners through the upgrade process and help them overcome barriers to completing a home energy upgrade. Common energy advisor services range from being a trusted, independent expert on technical aspects of the upgrade to facilitating logistics, reviewing contractor bids with the customer, explaining financing to the customer, and ensuring the quality of work performed. Providing these services offers an opportunity to gain customer trust, build program credibility, and more actively encourage participants to complete recommended upgrades.
Learn more with the following resources:
Topical Resources
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This white paper from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory describes the benefits and costs of energy advisors, and describes how residential energy efficiency programs have made use of them in their program design.
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This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on energy advising and concierge services without American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants.
Examples
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This case study discusses Denver Energy Challenge's adjustment from focusing on door-to-door outreach to an energy advisor model that allowed customers to receive one on one support throughout the home energy upgrade process.
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In this video interview segment, Yvonne Kraus of Conservation Services Group describes how energy advisors were an important strategy for building trust with customers in the community.
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In this video interview segment, Ludy Biddle with Neighborworks of Western Vermont describes the benefits of one-on-one communications between customers and the Neighborhood H.E.A.T. Squad program's energy advisors.
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Overview of lessons learned from EnergySmart Colorado's energy advisor model.
Tips for Success
Handbooks
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See the step: Determine how you will deliver services. This step provides information on how to decide what products, services, and support you will provide and how you will deliver services to your customers.