Home Energy Scotland introduced its new Community Analytics report in September 2024 and opened a pilot project for 2024-25 offering the report to up to 20 community groups1. The report is a tool designed to help community groups across Scotland take their energy projects further, according to the service1.
The report is powered by Home Analytics, a database managed by Energy Saving Trust that holds details on Scotland's housing1. It tells a community how much energy the homes in its area use and how they can be improved so they use less energy and generate their own renewable energy1. Each report is customised for a specific area and comes in two parts: a spreadsheet for the group's own analysis and a written report with visual summaries1. It includes a breakdown of the key features of homes in the community compared with regional and national averages, modelled scenarios showing the potential costs and savings of different energy-saving improvements, and signposting to resources1. The report does not give information on individual homes; householders can use the home energy check for a report on their own home1.
Eligibility is limited to legally constituted community groups in Scotland with a defined geographic area, and groups must sign a data sharing agreement confirming the information will be used responsibly and not for commercial purposes1. Home Energy Scotland said groups could use the report to see what kinds of insulation and heating could work in their area, to support a funding application, or to support bulk-purchase schemes and attract contractors to rural and remote areas1.
"We're running a pilot project in 2024-25, offering this report to up to 20 community groups."
The announcement gives no closing date for pilot applications, no cost for the report and no date for wider availability beyond the 2024-25 pilot year; none of these has been reported1.
Why it matters for households
The report works at community level rather than household level, so it does not assess an individual home or produce a recommendation for a specific property1. Its practical value to a householder is indirect: it can show what insulation and heating measures are suited to the housing stock in the local area, and it can be used by a group to make the case for funding or to organise bulk purchasing, which can matter where attracting contractors is difficult, including rural and remote areas1. For a home's energy independence, the report covers the potential for homes to generate their own renewable energy alongside using less1. Households wanting figures for their own property are pointed to the home energy check instead1. Home Energy Scotland is the Scottish Government-funded advice service, and its grant and loan scheme and the separate Warmer Homes Scotland programme remain the routes for funding work on an individual home.
What happens next
The pilot runs through 2024-25 and is capped at up to 20 community groups1. Participating groups will be asked to give feedback on how the report works for them1. Home Energy Scotland directs groups wanting to learn more and sign up to contact its partnerships team by email1.
Sources1 cited
- Introducing our new Community Analytics report | Home Energy Scotland, homeenergyscotland.org