The Spatial Constitution of Domestic Energy Advice: Opportunities and Challenges for Place‐Based Net Zero

ABSTRACT

This paper critically assesses the opportunities and challenges arising from localised forms of domestic energy advice (DEA) provision, within the context of emerging ‘place‐based’ approaches to net zero governance. DEA will play a key role in achieving net zero by facilitating the installation and usage of low‐carbon measures in homes, but there is little research that examines how the spatial configuration of advice programmes may influence their efficacy. This paper addresses this research gap, drawing empirical data from an in‐depth workshop with 19 DEA professionals in northwest England and an analysis of evaluation reports from seven DEA organisations. The findings suggest that place should be considered a fundamental and active part of the DEA process, not merely a backdrop in which advice provision happens. Localised, place‐based approaches can be advantageous for ensuring DEA is relevant to the circumstances of communities and individuals, and for helping to establish relations of trust between advisors and citizens. However, local DEA operates within a multi‐scalar governance landscape, and existing national policies relating to the financing of home energy retrofits and the funding of energy advice organisations often hinder the capacity of local actors to translate advice into action. We conclude by arguing for a form of ‘progressive relational localism’, involving the establishment of a national energy advice network that would empower local actors and support equitable place‐based decarbonisation.