Resources
One of the major aims of Smart-UP is to ensure that installers and other frontline staff are able to properly advise and support vulnerable householders. The training’s scope, end-target and objective will be adapted to the standards and practices in each country.
The SMART-UP partners work closely with local social workers and utility companies, who come in to contact with vulnerable customers on a daily basis, to help understand their customers’ requirements and to agree on the scope and objectives of the training to be delivered for frontline staff and utility installers.
The UK partner, NEA, is leading this effort. Utilising the findings from NEA’s existing research and experiences of the advice and support needs of vulnerable households on how to use smart meters, and the knowledge and experiences of the rest of the consortium, NEA updated their existing training guidelines for installers and frontline staff. These training guidelines were adapted to fit within the partner country’s context and were used to deliver training pilots in each region. The audience for each pilot depend on the training requirement in each individual country.
The updated training guidelines were designed to equip both installers and frontline staff with the knowledge, understanding and competencies to provide advice and support to households on how to use smart meters and IHDs effectively. Different sets of training guidelines were developed namely a training guide for social workers and another for installers, since smart meter installers will already have a certain level of knowledge that other frontline staff (from housing associations, community groups etc.) do not have, and vice versa. The guidelines for frontline staff include introductory information on smart meters that the installer-focused training. Likewise, installers receive training to enable them to have an understanding of the definition of vulnerability, so that they are able to identify potential cases of vulnerability and ensure they are able to offer guidance that is responsive to the needs of vulnerable customers.
SMART-UP Impact Report 2018
SMART-UP Final Report UK
SMART-UP Final Report Malta
Watch our latest Smart-UP Tutorials here
About Smart-UP
Project Challenges
Insights for the future
Project Success Stories
Recommendations from the project
Smart-UP Energy Poverty Conference
at the European Sustainable Energy Week
Brussels, 5th June 2018
Session 1
Session 3
Session 2
Session 4
Training guidelines and teaching materials
The training guidelines and teaching materials
- Explain what a smart meter does and how it can be used to reduce household energy bills (energy consumption reduction and opportunities offered by demand-response services).
- Explain domestic fuel running costs and bills to inform switching and tariff changes.
- Advise on getting the most from smart meters and In-House Displays (IHDs) in countries where they are installed and in the countries where they will be trialled.
- Engage with households to promote behavioural change and the necessary soft skills to communicate effectively.
- Provide households with energy efficiency, behaviour change and heating/cooling controls advice.
- Signpost households to information, grants and assistance available to improve the energy efficiency performance of their house, including grants to install/buy efficient heating systems and appliances.
- Encourage behaviour change by identifying where efficiency savings can be made and how these savings will bring benefits to the household, local community and the environment.
- How to identify a vulnerable consumer and identify signs of vulnerability in a household.
- Using local referral partners to identify opportunities for using new and existing interventions to identify vulnerability and successfully assist vulnerable customers.
- Examine the impacts of fuel poverty on health.
Both the training course for installers and the course for frontline staff include an element of role play. The role play will engage the training participants (installers and frontline staff) in ‘real life’ scenarios. The participants are required to provide advice and assistance to a consumer (the training officer will play the role of the consumer) that has just received a smart meter, IHD or energy monitoring tool (where an IHD has not been provided). The participant will then utilise the enhanced training received to advise the consumer on how a smart meter, IHD and energy monitoring tool works and how they can be used to help reduce their energy consumption. The role play will be used to validate the quality of advice being delivered to make sure it is of a high standard.
Useful Tools
UK: My SMART-UP Energy Diary
The diary will help you keep track of your weekly and monthly electricity and gas costs over time
MALTA: My SMART-UP Energy Diary
The diary will help you keep track of your weekly and monthly electricity and gas costs over time
ITALY: Diario Energetico con copertina
A guide to using your smart meter to manage your energy use
AISFOR promotional videos
Press Releases
Activities related to the SMART-UP Project done by AISFOR
105 Buone Patiche di Efficienza Energetica Made in Italy” – Kyoto Club (12 gennaio 2017)
Energia: grazie al progetto “Smart-up”, consigli utili per risparmiare – Newsletter UNC (15 febbraio 2017)
Energia su misura: come far scegliere alle famiglie efficientamento e risparmio Green BIZ (04 luglio 2016)
PROGETTO: USMARTCONSUMER – Rapporto Annuale Efficienza Energetica (RAEE) 2016 dell’ENEA (24 giugno 2016) – @SMART-UP
Il progetto europeo SMART-UP – Rapporto Annuale Efficienza Energetica (RAEE) 2016 dell’ENEA (24 giugno 2016) – @SMART-UP
Cervetri, Smart-Up per i consumatori vulnerabili: al via il primo corso per operatori terzobinario.it (14 aprile 2016) @SMART-UP
Domani a Cerveteri primo corso per operatori del progetto SMART UP – Altravocenews.it (13 aprile 2016) @SMART-UP
Povertà energetica, se ne parla in un seminario a Cerveteri – Civionline (12 aprile 2016) @SMART-UP
Più informazione e formazione per il bonus energia – e7, il settimanale di Quotidiano Energia (2 marzo 2016) – @SMART-UP
SMART-UP: una mano tesa a 1000 consumatori in povertà energetica – LaStampa.it (16 febbraio 2016) @SMART-UP
Risparmio energetico: SMART-UP in aiuto dei consumatori vulnerabili – Felicità Pubblica (15 dicembre 2015) @SMART-UP
Povertà energetica, la “ricetta europea” per aiutare i consumatori vulnerabili – Redattore Sociale (14 dicembre 2015) @SMART-UP
“Smart-Up” il progetto contro la povertà energetica in Europa – Canale Energia (dicembre 2015) @SMART-UP
NON RIESCI A PAGARE LE BOLLETTE? PUOI IMPARARE A RISPARMIARE CON SMART-UP – CONSUMERISMO (6 maggio 2015) @SMART-UP
ENERGIA UN BENE DI TUTTI – e7 Gruppo Italia Energia (6 maggio 2015) @SMART-UP