Who are the early adopters?
Who are the early adopters? 2.81 MB
To reach Net Zero many homes will need to install heat pumps as an alternative to fossil fuel heating. Many of these homes will also need fabric energy efficiency measures installed to improve their thermal performance, ensuring that they retain heat for longer. The cost of this work is significant and for many homeowners there is currently limited support to help them navigate this journey.
We commissioned research to uncover homeowner attitudes to retrofit measures and their willingness and ability to fund the upfront cost of making these changes. Our report, Demand: Net Zero, found that while over 1 in 4 (28%) of homeowners are interested in a heat pump, fewer than 1 in 10 (8%) are either able to pay or willing to borrow to fund the installation.
If we are to build the heat pump market fast enough to reach Government targets of 600,000 installs per year by 2028 then we need to rapidly get heat pumps into the homes of those who are most willing to receive them. This briefing takes a closer look at the data to identify some of the key demographic differences between groups of homeowners. Throughout the briefing key characteristics of each group are highlighted through the use of fictionalised case studies. Additionally, there is an annexe of fact sheets covering particular demographic groups.