STEP-IN

International project

STEP-IN aimed to help energy poor homes reduce their energy bills and their environmental impact by better managing their consumption. This was done by the method of living labs. Energy advisors met people at "energy cafés" or during home visits and followed their energy situation's evolution through time. Results were disseminated in workshops, policy meetings, public events and reports. Trained energy advisors looked for people who were in financial difficulties due to their energy bills or who had to "choose between heating and eating ". Communication and information were key to reach a maximum of households since they had to be voluntarily participating to the initiative.

With a budget of over 1 million €, the goal of this consulting phase was to:

Improve energy literacy and awareness for vulnerable consumers.
Support behaviour change to improve comfort levels and reduce energy costs.
Enable informed decisions on energy efficiency and consumption.
Use of communication tools to assist decision-making.

Using the results of the ground experiences, the initiative wanted to provide a global methodology to be adopted and adapted by all actors and authorities working in the field of energy poverty.

The key outcomes of the project were the identification of isolated people, e.g elderly. Information was a key component for reduction of energy consumption so it allowed those who didn't have access to the necessary knowledge before to make simple changes.

Main beneficiaries: energy advisors and national/local authorities.