Impact Evaluation of the UK's Energy Efficienct Best Practice Programme for Buildings

Susan P. Boyle, BRECSU, Building Research Establishment

Abstract

Recent investigations into the survey reliability and level of attribution of energy savings to the UK? Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme for buildings.

The Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme is the United Kingdom? principal, independent information dissemination programme on energy efficiency and was established in 1989. The part of the programme directed at buildings is run on behalf of the Department of the Environment by the Building Research Energy Conservation Support Unit. Programme evaluation and feedback is an important priority, with an annual impact assessment being undertaken for each of the seven years since programme initiation. Annual assessment is made of total energy savings and, in particular, the programme? influence in each of thirteen building sectors in which the programme is currently active. These sectors cover a wide range of domestic and non-domestic buildings. It is generally accepted that impact evaluation of information programmes is particularly complex. Recent progress in the development of the EEBPP? evaluation procedures, a combination of written questionnaire responses (from building owners, occupiers, and architects) and building audits, has produced interesting insights into attitudes and uptake of energy efficiency in the UK. This paper presents the current state of play of energy efficiency uptake and associated cost savings, both due to the EEBPP and for the UK as a whole. The results of recent investigations, via a series of complementary building audits, into the relative reliability of respondents and the written questionnaire responses is presented for the first time, together with associated implications for the statistical robustness and optimisation of the programme? evaluation methodology.