NERV - Technology Adoption and Consumer Behaviour
Achieving net-zero targets by 2050 hinges on energy efficiency, particularly within the UK’s varied housing stock. This event will share key findings from a large-scale, multi-stage collaborative research project that explored the performance and public perception of innovative energy-saving technologies across different house types.
Centred around the NGN Futures Close Facility in Low Thornley, the project involved the construction of a unique test-site of nine fully instrumented demonstrator houses, each representative of UK housing from 1910 to the present day. Researchers evaluated the technical performance of energy-efficiency solutions and gathered real-time data under controlled conditions. Later stages focused on the human side of adoption—how people engage with these technologies, what factors shape uptake, and the role of feedback in shifting behaviours.
The event will be of interest to those working in housing, energy systems, sustainability, and social research. It offers a rare chance to reflect on lessons learned from both the technologies themselves and the people living alongside them. Discussion will also consider next steps, including the potential for digital engagement to complement in-person experiences and broaden access.