The role of consumer choice in decarbonising heat

The need to transition to low/zero-carbon forms of energy is taking centre-stage in the UK public debate. To meet the commitment enshrined in the UK Climate Change Act, a significant transformation is required within the next few decades, which will impact society as a whole, and particularly some critical areas such as domestic heating. The success of this large-scale and complex undertaking will require a holistic approach and robust collaborations across disciplines, sectors and countries, but also active support from the general public - the people who will be impacted by it in their day-to-day life.

Together, Arup and Imperial College, have explored some of the aspects related to the role of consumer choice in decarbonising heat, and how understanding consumer’s behaviours, attitudes and actions, together with a mix of technology solutions, will be critical to support the energy transition in domestic heating.

In this paper, we have highlighted a number of concurrent aspects – including policy design, effective communication, and clear leadership – that key players must consider in order to reach the net-zero domestic heating objective.