“Real time knowledge on my energy consumption will allow me to be better educated … and also put it into practice and save energy immediately.”UK student, living in Purpose-Built Student Accommodation
Utopi recently commissioned a PBSA Market Validation study with CampusLife – the leading Student Communications Agency in the UK. Completed to support the rollout of our new Resident App within the PBSA sector, the study has generated some fascinating insights that we felt were worth sharing.
Data was gathered from 4 x 1-hour sessions with students in Leeds and Leicester and an online survey of 80 current university students across 15 cities in the UK. 55% of student participants were PBSA Residents, over 58% being international, from a spread of 14 different countries.
This strong data set has provided us with further confirmation that our Resident app (coming soon) will target our audience with solutions that are valuable to both residents and investors alike. At Utopi, we use our knowledge, data, and insights to provide practical solutions and facilitate behavioural change with real-world relevance, and this latest market study has provided us the context to do just that.
We aimed to better understand the problems students face regarding temperature control in their rooms, their understanding of the environmental impact their utilities consumption had, and how we can best incentivise them to make positive (and sustainable!) behavioural changes, benefitting both them and the environment. Read on for the highlights:
Awareness.

Our first port of call was to delve into what students understand and are aware of in regards to their current environment and behaviour. We found that a staggering 76.2% of students were unaware of the current room temperature, making it near impossible for them to try to manage it without the kind of insight our product will provide.
Impact.

Next, we wished to find out if students truly recognised the effect their heating behaviours and utilities consumption could have on the environment. Unsurprisingly, the majority did not realise the impact their heating use has on their carbon footprint, with 43.8% assuming a minimal link between their behaviour and impact. An education issue we tackle with the context provided by our app insights sections (keep reading for more on this).
Cooling Behaviours.

Then, we spoke to students about their current behaviours regarding temperature control within their rooms. We found that in general students had a hard time controlling their room environment to a comfortable level, due to the heating controls, lack of education, and lack of viability into their own usage. A worrying 85% of students used opening their window as a means of cooling their room, compared to just 33.8% turning down the heating. Giving students the tools and education to approach their heating behaviour with a wider context could massively decrease the energy being lost through poor temperature control methods. See our report for more on heating and cooling behaviours from students.
Incentivisation.

The final highlight is the definitive finding on what truly incentivises students to make change, once armed with the education and insight on how to. A clear majority, at 58.7%, were most motivated by the potential of money off their rent if they were able to control their consumption sustainably throughout their tenancy, a point of incentivisation controlled by investors and operators, but made easily accessible to students (if you want to start seeing some real change!) through our newest product, the resident app.
Useful Solutions: The Utopi Resident App.
As demonstrated from just the highlights we’ve shared with you today, some of the key problems faced by students in controlling their heating and utilities consumption are Awareness, Understanding of Impact, Heating and Cooling Behaviours, and Effective Incentivisation. And this is where the Utopi Resident App comes in – solving these real-world problems, gamifying their engagement, and ensuring residents are communicated with in a way they understand and appreciate.

Awareness.
Without awareness of the current temperature of their room, there’s little PBSA residents are able to do to effectively control it. Luckily for them, our real-time data will give them accurate insight into their room temperature status, straight from their phone!

Action.
But we provide more than just awareness, we provide insight. By educating students on the impact their usage has, the difference small changes can make, and the data to watch it happen. We give the full picture, and a clearer understanding of their environmental impact.

Reward.
The helpful tips and tricks provided by both our app and our resident engagement program give students the tools to facilitate their behaviour change. Which leads us to the best bit, incentivising those habit tweaks, with our monthly challenges! Students can track their temperature progress and for every day they’re within the agreed temperature range, they earn an entry into the draw. They’ve told us what truly motivates them, and we have the product to provide it!
If you want to see the full PBSA Market Validation report, and/or have a more in-depth conversation about how our newest product is designed to solve the real-world problems students are currently facing in controlling their heating consumption, get in touch today!