This research investigates the experiences of disabled people when engaging with media campaigns deigned to encourage people to make sustainable low-carbon energy choices.
This research theme was identified by RiDC’s consumer panel[1] as an area they wished to explore and formed part of the participatory research strand from year two of the Enabling Inclusive Innovation and Sustainable Choice research programme, funded by the Energy Savings Trust[2].
There were three main elements to this strand of work:
- Survey exploring de-carbonisation in the home.
- Three focus group workshops to explore possible year two research themes.
- Two research themes were selected and explored:
- Investigating disabled people’s engagement with low-carbon energy options and advice
- Participatory design research investigating energy use of assistive technology in the home.
This report covers the findings from Theme 1.
Main findings
There are three key findings which can be drawn from the research. Campaigns and online advice seeking public engagement with low-carbon energy options and advice often:
- Do not use inclusive and meaningful language or provide actionable solutions.
The language used and advice given does not always consider the realities of the disabled peoples’ lives.
- Discourages engagement.
Where the relevance of information and advice is not applicable to disabled people, it can lead to feelings of stigmatism, exclusion, and disengagement.
- Do not help disabled people make suitable low-carbon energy choices.
Without tailored solutions there is the risk of inappropriate choices being made that could have impact on disabled peoples’ health and finance.
Main recommendations
A greater awareness of the barriers that disabled people encounter when engaging with media campaigns about low-carbon energy use will help provide with more relevant information and actionable solutions. Below we propose ways in which some of the problems identified can be mitigated to make these campaigns more inclusive.
- Include disabled people in the design process of engagement campaigns from the very beginning.
- Recognise that disabled people will often have a larger carbon footprint than the national average.
- Consider the living situation of many disabled people and how that might impact any advice given.
- Consider the potential difficulties some disabled people have with making medium term investments.
- Be mindful of the impact of disability on the suitability of choice(s).
[1] https://www.ridc.org.uk/our-panel
[2] https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/
This research study is part of a broader RiDC research programme investigating whether disabled and older consumers can easily access and use low carbon energy products and services. The research programme Enabling Inclusive Innovation and Sustainable Choice is funded by the Energy Savings Trust under the Energy Redress Scheme Round 11 (Innovation). The programme is being led by RiDC and delivered in partnership with the Energy Systems Catapult (Living Lab).
