How to help your customers make their homes more energy efficient

Demand for installing renewable energy technologies, such as heat pumps and solar panels, is growing. According to the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which sets standards for low-carbon products, installers and installations, 2024 was a record-breaking year. There were more than 260,000 MCS certified installations in UK homes and small businesses – an increase of 7% compared to 2023.  

Improving insulation, upgrading windows and draughtproofing can have a significant impact on energy use too, reducing the energy needed to keep a home warm.

To install energy efficiency measures, consumers need trusted installers, and this is where you come in. Which? has a wealth of free information you can point your customers towards to help them save money. This includes our home energy planning service, which also helps consumers find reliable traders to install them.

Information at your fingertips 

If your customers are starting to explore options for reducing their energy use, as well as offering your own advice and information, you can send them a link to our in-depth guides to cutting your energy bills. 

While consumers need to be Which? members to access product reviews, such as of TVs and washing machines, our extensive energy advice is free. Plus, they can compare energy deals to find the best ones to switch to.

You can also follow us on Facebook and share any useful articles you find there with them.

What is the home energy planning service?

The Which? home energy planning service (HEPS) was launched in September 2024 to provide tailored advice to consumers about energy efficiency measures. 

People can use the service to build a personalised plan for their home that could save them money on energy bills, including measures such as insulation, a new gas boiler or a heat pump. It also gives them the estimated cost of installation and encourages the use of a Trusted Trader to do the work.

Since it launched, we’ve seen strong demand among users for larger-scale renewable energy improvements such as installing solar panels.

When we surveyed Which? Trusted Traders working in the energy efficiency sector in August 2024, only a third (35%) said their customers were informed about their options for saving energy. By recommending the HEPS to your customers, you can help them build their knowledge and identify the measures that could work for them. 

Find out more about our survey findings and how traders said they were educating their customers to help yours become better informed.

Using the HEPS

It’s quick and easy for your customers to use the HEPS. They start by entering their postcode and selecting their address. The service searches multiple sources to find information about their property, including its energy performance certificate (EPC) rating and its size, age and construction. They can amend anything that isn’t correct. 

The service then suggests ways they could save money on energy, improve their EPC rating and reduce their carbon emissions. They can then enter details to find out if they’re eligible for any home improvement grants. 

Next, users select their main motivation,  ranging from small less expensive fixes, to reducing emissions through to an interest in installing a specific technology such as heat pumps.

They can then see their recommended plan with estimated costs and benefits with the option to add and remove improvements. The plan is saved in the Dashboard, where your customers can also save quotes and track the improvements they are making.  They can return to their plan whenever they want.

Installing solar panels

Solar panels have been the most popular measure among HEPS users so far. They’re suitable for almost all homes in the UK. As demand for solar panels continues to grow, you could boost your business by offering them. Read our article on how to become a solar panel installer to find out more.

We recently attended the London Solar & Storage Show to learn more about the future of solar energy and caught up with some of our endorsed traders working in the sector. They told us that being a Which? Trusted Trader helps to set them apart from the competition.

Jason Fuller from Tethys Energy in Reading said: ‘If you talk to people about Which? there is a certain quality that comes with that name that’s been built up over the years and it’s trusted by customers.’

‘We go through quite a stringent test process to get approved with Which? and the customers know that,’ pointed out Dominic Baxter from Sussex Solar in Horsham, West Sussex.

Rob Gibb from Solar Orb in Ripley, Derbyshire, added: ‘The first thing they say to us is that they found us on Which? Trusted Traders. That in itself just answers everything.’

We were also at the Everything Electric Show in London, which showcased the home energy and electric vehicle sectors. Endorsed traders we spoke to there had similar things to say about what it means to be a Which? Trusted Trader, in particular that it helps consumers have confidence in what they do.

Installing heat pumps

Heat pumps are also becoming more popular as consumers look for more efficient, greener ways to heat their homes. Find out why becoming a heat pump installer could be great for business and how to go about it.

With so many installers now offering so many green energy solutions, the Which? home energy planning service and our online advice are invaluable for consumers deciding how to make their homes more energy efficient. 

By using these resources to help educate your customers, you can give them the confidence to go ahead with installing energy efficiency measures and boost the amount of business you get.

Become a Trusted Trader

When customers see you displaying our logo, they'll know when you're a trader they can trust

Find out more