A business plan has now been produced and finance raised for the prototyping of an environmental 'concierge support service. This builds on the results of the RED Future Currents work, and would offer householders an energy audit, advice on what to do following the audit, help in navigating the multiple websites on available products and technologies, and crucially, options of tried and tested installers to carry out the works. The prototyping will not only test the take up and costs of various elements of the service, but the kind of financial (and design) incentives that would encourage investment.

The initial prototype is scheduled to last for 16 weeks for 40 households, with a second 'proof of concept' stage where the service is scaled up for 5,000 households over 18 months. The first phase will be co-ordinated by the concierge-specialists TenUK, and funded by the GLA and DEFRA. For further details contact RED Associate, Robin Murray.

CATEGORY: ENERGY PROJECT