Water resources across the UK are facing a multitude of challenges that have led to an industry wide PCC reduction target of 110 litres per person per day (l/p/d) by 2050. To achieve this, water efficiency home visits (visits) are a method used to deliver demand reduction and water efficiency interventions to customers. To maximise savings made via this intervention, stakeholders need to proactively review existing guidance and methods for how visits are planned for, delivered, measured and evaluated, and identify potential opportunities for further enhancement. In doing this, stakeholders will advance industry collaboration and knowledge exchange and continue to proactively develop visit programmes.
Considering the above, this project delivered two core outputs:
- An independent review of how visit programmes are currently delivered in the UK, with key insights summarised in this report.
- A framework to support the enhancement of visit programme planning, delivery, and measurement.
This project provided stakeholder insights relating to:
- Planning and Recruitment: targeting strategy, recruitment methodologies, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and customer sign-up rates.
- Delivery: delivery approaches, tailoring techniques, behaviour change techniques, successful outcomes, interventions delivered, post-visit activities, and added value initiatives.
- Measurement and Evaluation: data and measurement approaches, water saving and visit outcomes achieved, evaluation approaches deployed.
While this project explored a variety of different areas relating to visit programmes. We observed similarities in how stakeholders operate visit programmes, most notably in the offer and installation of water efficiency devices and products. Differences also emerged in various elements of programme delivery, notably, different approaches to measurement and evaluation meaning comparison of water savings achieved and visit outcomes was challenging. Building on these stakeholder insights, an enhancement framework was developed that focussed on the following areas:
- Planning phase: big picture thinking and collaboration, pre-planning delivery and training, targeting and recruitment strategy.
- Delivery phase: behaviour change techniques and training, intervention tailoring, post-visit engagement and activities.
- Measurement phase: customer insights and feedback, behaviour change measurement, long term vision and objectives.
With specific reflection on evaluation throughout.
The findings from this report and the visit enhancement framework should be taken forward by visit stakeholders. Specifically, the framework should be used by visit programme managers to explore opportunities to enhance their visit programme.
If you are interested in knowing more about this project or on the topic of water efficiency visits and intervention evaluation, please get in touch.
