Local Branding
The principle of working initially with the communities unconditionally on their own terms was perceived positively as the Network Operator ‘Earning the Right’ to present its own energy agenda.  This led naturally to the identification of local branding platforms which could support the energy messaging.

Local Branding Platforms

SAVE Project
  • To give our community a voice
  • To make our community a better place
  • To use less energy and save money
SAVE Project
  • Connecting People
  • Connecting Places
  • Connecting Power

Stakeholder Collaboration
Engagement with other stakeholders – utilities, local authorities and third sector organisations – was a key feature of the CEC trial.  Willingness to engage in the research was underpinned by a genuine interest in testing the viability of joint public, private and third sector community development activity with the DNO as catalyst.

Power Graph
Having invoked the idea of Energy Literacy, the importance of peak demand became more obvious, leading to the development of the Power Draw Chart.  This visual demonstration of where to focus attention in peak reduction was a ‘light bulb moment’ for many people in both communities.

Power rating of household appliances (watts)

Cooking
Seeking to change evening cooking routines in family households was initially perceived as a step too far. However, building engagement routines around the theme of ‘alternative cooking’, the Delivery Team were able to demonstrate the value of low energy baking, slow cooking and batch cooking in terms of saving time as well as energy.