B&Q is set to launch with a dedicated call centre, online service and advice in store as part of a new B&Q Energy Saving initiative.

The DIY retailer will offer advice, free home assessments, exclusive products, payment advice, installation and customer aftercare support to enable customers to save money through energy saving.

B&Q launched the initiative today with the call centre service and pages on its website. It will offer new energy efficient products in 10 stores in October with further stores rolling out in the first quarter of 2013.

B&Q will partner new brand iQE exclusively to launch a new range of products such as boilers, heating controls, solar thermal, solar PV systems and a range of installed home insulation products. 

The brand has been developed by a consortium of leading manufacturers and academics from Loughborough University, experts in energy efficiency.

This represents a previously announced revenue investment of around £10m by Kingfisher in training staff, developing new products and services and on legal and technical advice. 

The move follows extensive research into saving money on energy bills by the retailer over the last 18 months.

B&Q UK & Ireland chief executive Martyn Phillips said: “We’ve been carrying out independent trials, working with experts in energy efficiency and invested in new products, services and training to ensure that B&Q is the best place to come for energy saving advice this Autumn.  We even bought our own two up two down terrace and saved £100 a month in energy bills to be in the best position to independently advise customers on how much money can be saved through reduced energy bills.”