Your Home is Part of Your Identity

How do people make decisions about their homes? It's not just about money, your emotional connection affects decisions too.

5 mins read

Many factors can sway a decision, particularly when it comes to making energy-efficiency changes to your home

Dr Yekatherina Bobrova, a distinguished researcher from the University of Oxford, explores how the emotional connection people have to their homes affects their decisions to retrofit (what is retrofit?). Featured on the Refurb & Retrofit Podcast, Dr Yekaterina and host Matt Milloy discuss her research detailing the emotions that factor into making these decisions. This is a peek behind the curtain of retrofit marketing – we’ve pulled some key parts to summarise below!

Too much information

Yekaterina found that, by and large, there was too much fact-bombardment marketing in the retrofit industry – and this can put people off! Whilst there’s always a place for technical language, homeowners mostly just want to understand the benefits of what they’re doing to their home. Whether it’s draught-proofing advice or installing an air-source heat pump, a balance can be found between accessibility and education.

advisor stills at a kitchen table chatting to a homeowner

It’s not always about money

Whilst cost and return-on-investment are hugely important to know when undertaking any home project, it’s not the only thing that sways a decision. Yekaterina has identified that people also need to find meaning in their decision. The best retrofit outcomes for people were about how it made them feel, how the home now reflects their identity.

Home is a place of a great emotional significance for individuals.
Dr Yekatherina Bobrova

How did retrofitting make people feel?

Better control over the home environment

Home is attuned to your needs

Home is a source of joy and community

Retrofit fulfils broader social responsibility

Increased feeling of safety and security

The power of visual storytelling

Yekaterina and Matt discuss the importance of visual storytelling in marketing for retrofit. Whilst people can read all about benefits of certain measures, it’s much more powerful to show them. Visuals of cosy, comfortable homes are much more likely to persuade a homeowner to add insulation, upgrade their windows or install solar panels. More than that, it’s about the emotions happening when people increase their energy-efficiency.

Smiling woman holding a hot drink in front of her light, clean kitchen

Heard it through the grapevine

The last, and possibly most important, outcome from Yekaterina’s research indicated that negative experiences can deter homeowners significantly more than positive ones can attract them. Basically, bad press carries far more weight with people than good press. She further suggests that a service which can guide people through their retrofit projects, at any stage, would be filling a significant gap in the market. Being able to envision their home project, and being guided by someone you trust, is invaluable to the success of any energy project.

A support for step-by-step retrofit would be beneficial.
Dr Yekhaterina Bobrova

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