Challenge
Halifax was awarded funding by the Green Home Finance Innovation Fund, an initiative by the Department for Business and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to promote the establishment of green lending products for retrofit green home improvements. By developing this proposition, creating tools and resources, Halifax would be able to educate and incentivise their customers to start making energy efficient home improvements as part of the UK’s green recovery.
New research by Halifax revealed that, with the sudden changes in lifestyle due to the Coronavirus lockdown, a lot of people weren’t sure where to start when it came to home energy efficiency. Results also indicated that almost a third of the UK workforce were looking to work from home post lockdown, therefore using more domestic energy at home. By creating a new retrofit homes sustainability proposition, they could make a commitment to support customers and homeowners by educating them about home energy use, their property Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, reducing energy costs and lowering carbon outputs.
“It’s clear that for many, going back to ‘business as usual’ isn’t going to be an option and instead they will continue to spend more time at home, believing it to be better for the environment. However, without taking steps to ensure homes are as efficient as they can be, these good intentions could be clouded by rising energy usage and monthly bills – at a time when many are concerned about their financial security as well as the planet.”
Andy Mason, Halifax mortgage director
Halifax didn’t have the expertise in domestic energy efficiency, so they partnered with Energy Saving Trust who have over 25 years of experience in the energy sector and expertise communicating behavioural changes to domestic energy consumers.
Action
Halifax were keen to expand and shape their sustainability plans to communicate and support their customers. They partnered with Energy Saving Trust to develop a bespoke home energy efficiency web tool as part of their development of an online Green Living hub. Energy Saving Trust also made recommendations for the Green Living Hub, which is currently available to everyone as an educational space with articles on climate change and sustainable living information.
The Home Energy Saving Tool, based on Energy Saving Trust’s Home Energy Efficiency Tool, was developed to provide a quick and easy solution for homeowners to save money on energy bills and make a home more energy efficient. The Home Energy Saving tool is powered by the Dynamic Engine – Energy Saving Trust’s market-leading calculation engine – and works by asking questions about a customer’s home before using extensive reference data to fill in the gaps and model all possible combinations. The results provide an actionable package of optimum and cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable investment solutions.
“Energy Saving Trust were really knowledgeable in the field and went above and beyond answering energy efficiency questions, giving us verified facts for our articles in our green living hub and developing the Home Energy Saving Tool, which is really easy to use. Energy Saving Trust steered direction on a number of features of the Green Living proposition with their expertise.”
Sarah Coles, Halifax senior manager, mortgages customer development
Result
Halifax now has a green living hub to support their customers in decarbonising and saving energy in their homes as part of the UK’s green recovery. Their online Halifax Green Living hub is an education resource open for everyone to use, as part of their wider agenda and projects on sustainability.
It contains various articles on home energy efficiency, climate change and sustainable living in addition to the Home Energy Saving Tool.
Further information
Halifax is part of Lloyds Banking Group. Their new Green Living hub is dedicated to educating and explaining how we can all make a small difference in our homes that could help save a few pennies as well as helping the planet.
The Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) brings together responsibilities for business, industrial strategy, science, innovation, energy, and climate change. The Green Home Finance Innovation Fund (GHFIF) competition is funded by the BEIS Energy Innovation Programme.