This report details results of a pilot field trial exploring the impact of emailing customers simple instructions about how to change their boiler settings.
Nesta developed an online tool that provided boiler optimisation advice. The tool included a step-by-step guide with relevant sections tailored to a user’s boiler control configuration. The tool aimed to help overcome barriers and to increase the chance of individuals successfully turning their boiler flow temperature down.
To assess whether our online tool was successful in helping individuals turn down their boiler flow temperature, we collaborated with Loop. We launched the pilot on 9th April 2022. There were two arms: a treatment group who received our intervention – an email from Loop with a link to our online tool (3,502 customers) – and a control group, who did not (3,500 customers).
We found that:
- The email increased the proportion of participants who self-reported turning their boiler down (34% in the treatment group versus 19% in the control group – this difference was statistically significant)
- We did not find evidence that our intervention resulted in a difference between participants' satisfaction with their temperature in the treatment group and control group.
Money Saving Boiler Challenge
Our campaign aims to help over one million households change their combi boiler settings to save energy.
