Evaluation of energy efficiency consulting for public utility companies

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ifeu and TNS Emnid were jointly commissioned to evaluate the energy consulting provided by public utility companies. In light of the wide range of consulting services provided by public utility companies, the study focused on in-house consultancy for private households provided in the customer service centre or by telephone. The project examined consultancy services for building and apartment owners in relation to the issues of heat and photovoltaics, and on the subject of electricity savings.

The objective of the evaluation was to determine the savings that can be achieved through the consulting services offered by public utility companies. To do so, a survey was conducted amongst 700 people who had used the consulting service – each a customer of one of the nine public utility companies which participated in the study.

The aim was to determine key indicators which could be used to extrapolate the savings achieved to other public utility companies on the basis of consulting case figures and additional indicators. In addition to the primary focus of the investigation – the calculation of savings effects – other issues were also considered, such as the motivation to use a consultancy service, satisfaction and further consulting effects.

As with similar projects in previous years, TNS Emnid conducted the surveys. The consultancy firm imug Beratungsgesellschaft also took part as a subcontractor. imug has produced a customer barometer for public utility companies for several years, and played an advisory role in this project.