Homes for Net Zero privacy notice

Published 24.04.26

Introduction

At Energy Systems Catapult Limited (“Catapult”, “we”, “us”, “our”), we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, and share personal data as part of the Homes for Net Zero research project. It also outlines your rights regarding your data and how you can contact us if you have any concerns. 

Who we are

We are Energy Systems Catapult Limited “Catapult”, a company limited by guarantee and registered in the UK under company number 08705784, whose main place of business is at 7th Floor, 18 Priory Queensway, Birmingham B4 6BS (“us”, “we”, “our”). 

Purpose of the Research Project

This research project aims to enhance the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) evidence base by exploring viable pathways for homeowners to transition to low-carbon technology in their home. The study focuses on real-world monitoring of homes that are considered challenging to decarbonise. Participants may be offered devices and measures to support this research.

Scope of this Privacy Notice:

This privacy notice sets out the basis on which any personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us (“data”), will be processed. By participating in this research project, you accept and consent to the practices described. 

For the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018 (the “Act”), the Catapult and DESNZ are Joint Data Controllers of Personal Data. 

Information we may collect from you

We will collect and process the following data about you: 

• When you apply to join the trial, we will collect information though a screener survey, asking questions about your home; its archetype, its heating, and smart meter details. 

• If you are accepted onto the trial, we will ask you to register onto our Living Lab hub where we will ask for further information about you and your home. 

• During the trial, we will collect data from your smart meter, along with any other devices we provide to you, such as sensors for room temperature, water temperature, air quality and electricity submetering.  

• Heat Battery Trial specific: we will also collect Heat Battery data provided by your Heat Battery supplier. 

• Surveys and interviews: Interviews will be conducted and recorded by Microsoft Teams/phone and might be transcribed using Otter.ai. Questionnaire data will be collected via QuestionPro and analysed using Microsoft Excel.

Cookies

Our Living Lab website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our Site. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and allows us to improve it. For detailed information on the cookies we use and the purposes for which we use them see our Cookie Policy. 

How we make use of the information

We use information held about you in the following ways: 

• Information we collect from you will be used: 

• • To ensure Catapult have a full, robust, and reliable data set for analysis and to draw conclusions from the trial to answer the trial research questions and inform future government policy. 

• • To carry out our obligations arising from the research project between you and us and to provide you with the information, products and services that are part of the research project. 

• • To administer the trial, including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, research, statistical and survey purposes. 

• • To provide you with information about the research project. 

• • To notify you about changes to the research project. 

• Information we receive from other sources: 

• • May be combined with information we have collected from you. We may use this combined information for the purposes set out above (depending on the types of information we receive). 

Legal Basis for data processing

The lawful basis for processing personal data under this Privacy Notice is your consent, meaning you have provided clear and explicit permission for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, which will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn. 

Security

We take appropriate measures to ensure that personal data is kept secure, including security measures to prevent personal data from being used in an unauthorised way. We limit access to your personal data to those who have a genuine business need to know it. Those processing your information will do so only in an authorised manner and are subject to a duty of confidentiality. 

We take the security of your personal data seriously and have measures in place to protect it. While no system is completely risk-free, we follow strict procedures to safeguard your information. If we ever suspect a data security issue, we will respond appropriately and, where required by law, notify you and the relevant regulator. 

How long we keep your personal data

As part of this project, we will store and process your data until 31st March 2027. 

Where we store your personal data

Data is stored in files within Microsoft SharePoint and in databases hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS). 

The data we collect from you will primarily be processed by people in the United Kingdom, in accordance with UK data protection law. In some cases, data may be transferred and processed within other jurisdictions. In these cases, appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in line with UK GDPR requirements for international transfers. 

Disclosure of your information

During the research project 

We may share your information with selected third parties including: 

• DESNZ, to support the progress of the trial. 

• Business partners, suppliers and sub-contractors for the performance of the trial.

• If we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply our terms of use.

Information we will share with third parties in order to obtain and analyse data, supporting our research objectives, will include: 

• For the purpose of installation work in your home 

• • Your name 

• • Your home address 

• • Your contact details (phone number, email address) 

• For the purpose of data analysis by project partners 

• • Details of your home (e.g. number of bedrooms, amount insulation, …) 

• • Details of your heating systems (e.g. type of heating device, where their heating devices are located, other forms of heating they have, …) 

• • Smart meter energy usage 

• • Room temperature measurements 

• • Your responses to consumer insight surveys and interviews 

At Project completion

We will share your data with the DESNZ, to inform government Policies and plans. Your information will then be deleted from Catapults hosted clouds and SharePoint site. 

Any data we share will be effectively anonymised, meaning the risk of reidentification of individuals or households is minimal. 

Data we may share includes: 

• Information relating to your broad geographical location 

• Details of the participant home (e.g. number of bedrooms, amount insulation, …) 

• Details of participant heating systems (e.g. type of heating device, where their heating devices are located, other forms of heating they have, …) 

• Heating devices: Heat pumps, Heat battery usage and storage data 

• Smart meter energy usage 

• Room temperature measurements 

• Your responses to consumer insight surveys and interviews

We will not share with DESNZ, your: 

• Name 

• Home address 

• Contact details (e.g. phone number, email address) 

Your rights:

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to: 

• Access the personal data we hold about you 

• Correct any inaccuracies 

• Request deletion of your personal data where applicable 

• Object to processing 

• Restrict processing in certain circumstances 

• Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how your data is handled 

ICO contact details: 

• Website: https://ico.org.uk 

• Helpline: 0303 123 1113 

To exercise your rights, or if you have any questions about how your personal data is handled, please contact our Data Protection Officer at: dataprotectionoffice@es.catapult.org.uk

Contact us

If you have any questions about this privacy notice, how your data will be used, or your rights under UK GDPR, please contact: 

F.A.O Data Protection Officer
Energy Systems Catapult Limited
7th Floor,
18 Priory Queensway
Birmingham
B4 6BS 

Email: dataprotectionoffice@es.catapult.org.uk 

Changes to our privacy notice

Any changes we may make to this privacy notice will be posted on this page. Where appropriate, we will also notify to you by e-mail. Please check back frequently to see any updates or changes to our privacy notice. 

Privacy Notice Effective Date

This is version 2 of the Homes for Net Zero privacy notice. It is effective from 24th April 2026.