Consumers-and-domestic-heating-controls-a-literature-review

Best practice recommendations for stakeholders
For installers and developers
� Offer clients a choice of different control designs
� Help ensure controls meet clients needs, particularly vulnerable consumers
� Offer clients a choice of control position and help them choose a position that meets their
needs, particularly if they are elderly or have a physical impairment
� Provide in-person advice and ensure installers can provide high quality information
relevant to clients needs, reflecting the principles for instruction and information outlined
earlier. Installers are best placed to provide in-person advice tailored to the situation and
client
� provide support for user queries post-installation
For control manufacturers and designers
� Base design on a real rather than expected consumer behaviour
� Carry out user testing – work with users groups to ensure designs are usable and
inclusive. Work with energy advisers
� Ensure all products meet basic usability standards, but consider a variety of products of
different complexity to suit different consumer wants and needs
� Provide user-friendly instructions for controls, meeting plain English guidelines, and
following the principles set out in the previous section, and test them with users
� Instructions should include online information on controls, which should be specific to
each control, and use videos and diagrams as appropriate
� When adding additional control functions, ensure that controls do not become more
complex and less easy to use
For landlords
� Explain instructions to new tenants and ensure instructions for existing controls are
available and provided
� Where new controls are installed ensure tenants receive advice from the installer, in
order for the installer’s obligations under Building Regulations to be fulfilled
� Where new controls are installed, ensure the control design and position reflect the
needs of the tenant; particularly when dealing with vulnerable tenants. Involve the
tenants in the choice of control design and position. Also consider the needs of future
tenants, who may have different requirements in terms of, for instance, control position
For energy (service) companies
� Staff dealing with energy and efficiency in the home should be able to provide basic
advice to help users control their heating effectively
� Staff should be able to leave controls set to meet the residents’ immediate needs, ensure
that users can alter the settings in response to changing circumstances and/or provide a
help scheme for users who can’t operate their controls
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