CERT and CESP Final Evaluation

This research was commissioned by DECC and undertaken by a consortium of Ipsos, CAG Consultants, University College London and the Energy Saving Trust. The report builds upon interim evaluations of both CERT and CESP undertaken by Ipsos, CAG Consultants and BRE.

The UK Government introduced a range of policies to reduce the United Kingdom’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. CERT and CESP were the two main initiatives put in place to improve energy efficiency within domestic households in Great Britain. CESP was designed to improve domestic energy efficiency in the most deprived geographical areas across Great Britain, while CERT made energy efficiency measures available to all consumers (but also required a proportion of reductions to come from low-income households. CESP was also designed to experiment with alternative models of delivery of energy efficiency measures.

The report is based on a range of evidence gathered through the evaluation, completed between May and December 2013. The research consisted of quantitative and qualitative research from a range of primary and secondary sources:

• Stakeholder research: qualitative interviews with a range of stakeholders. This included stakeholders across DECC, Ofgem, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government, the obligated parties, trade and sector associations, the supply chain, local authorities, housing associations and community organisations.
• CERT and CESP Case Studies: Seven case study areas were selected to provide an illustration of a range of different local areas as well as lessons on delivery. The case study research involved two main strands: 1) process case study research: in-depth qualitative interviews with delivery stakeholders (including obligated parties, local authorities, housing associations, community groups and the supply chain). These were supplemented with a desk review of evidence on delivery of CERT and CESP in those case study areas. 2) householder case study research: in-home interviews were conducted with local residents, with a quantitative survey being carried out, with a  follow-up qualitative depth interviews with survey respondents
• CERT customer survey: A survey of CERT customers nationally was undertaken through Ipsos’s weekly Capibus omnibus survey. This survey was designed to establish take up rates of CERT measures, satisfaction with installations, and costs incurred by householders.
• Cost of delivering the schemes: Monitoring information on the cost of CERT and CESP to obligated parties are not held centrally either by Ofgem (the administrator of the schemes) or by DECC. In order to obtain quantitative evidence, obligated parties were approached by the evaluation team for detailed information on the administration and delivery costs associated with the two schemes.
• Cost surveys with housing associations, local authorities and installers: An on-line survey of housing associations and local authorities was undertaken to establish the resource costs incurred by these parties in the delivery of CERT and CESP. The survey was also used to explore issues relating to scheme development costs.
• Desk review: a desk review of relevant literature was undertaken, including a review of material providing evidence in relation to the costs of delivering CERT and CESP.
• Interim evaluations: Reviewing qualitative evidence from the interim evaluations of both CERT and CESP.