Guide for Solar Heating & Cooling Awareness Raising Campaigns

Guide for Solar Heating & Cooling Awareness Raising Campaigns

This “Guide for solar heating and cooling awareness raising campaigns” serves as a practical guide to assist those actors interested in promoting solar heating and cooling, As such, it addresses the design and implementation of awareness raising campaigns.

This guide is conceived as a chronological step by step approach. Every stage of the campaign (conception to evaluation) and every aspect (design to project management and financing) are covered, and practical tips are proposed for every step. It also provides examples of different campaigns related to solar heating and cooling developed around the globe.

This publication was developed as part of the GSWH project, a joint initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) with co-financing from the International Copper Association (ICA). The objective of the GSWH project is to develop, strengthen and accelerate the growth of the solar water heating (SWH) sector.

GSWH consists of two components as follows:

  • Component 1 – Global Knowledge Management (KM) and Networking: Effective initiation and co-ordination of the country’s specifi c support needs and improved access of national experts to state of the art information, technical backstopping, training and international experiences and lessons learned.
  • Component 2 – UNDP Country Programmes: Work in the country’s programmes revolves around addressing the most common barriers to solar water heating development: policy and regulations, fi nance, business skills, information, and technology.

ESTIF, as one of the project’s regional partners is committed to the development of knowledge products and services. And for that, ESTIF has been entrusted with the task of elaborating three practical handbooks to include recommendations and best practices in the following areas which have been identifi ed as key for strengthening the solar water heating market:

  • Policy and regulatory framework
  • Awareness raising campaigns
  • Standardization and quality

Solar heating and cooling, despite the fact that it is a completely mature technology for the mainstream applications of hot water production, remains a “niche” technology at a global level. Solar water heating has only reached a level close to mass-market in a few countries. Therefore, in a majority of regions and countries there is a vital need to “raise awareness” on its benefi ts as part of a market development.

To reach the goal set by the GSWH project, other measures, initiatives and even regulations are required but communication has a key role to play and will represent in most cases a fi rst and crucial step toward market strengthening.

Nevertheless, there are no magic formulas. Each market is different, the context changes and the consumer evolves. Hence, an awareness raising campaign needs always to be analysed or developed considering its specifi c goals and the current framework affecting its implementation.

As such this publication will not be a recipe book. It will be just a Guide for Solar Heating and Cooling Awareness-Raising Campaigns.