Finding Local Opportunities for energy efficiency in households

• Household interest in the environment increased in the 1990s, and environmental protection has been cited as a reason for becoming more energy efficient. However, people’s attitudes concerning sustainable development and their stated willingness to behave in environmentally sustainable ways do not always have affect their actual behavior. Good intentions are not always translated into actual everyday practices. How can this be explained? More importantly, how can this be changed so that good intentions are also implemented in people’s routines? The public policy literature has established the “window of opportunity” concept to discuss how and why ideas must be put into practice at particular times (Kingdon 1984). In relation to planning, Svane (2008) has discussed “situations of opportunity” when sustainable choices can be made. Similarly, I will discuss household energy efficiency in relation to “local opportunities” to act in energy-efficient ways. In what situations do these opportunities occur in households? When is it possible to reach households and help them change their routines and behavior, making them more energy efficient? How can one develop household-directed policy measures that exploit local opportunities for reducing energy use and increasing the implementation of energy-efficiency measures. These general matters will be discussed drawing on material from in-depth interviews with energy consultants and householders in Sweden.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Tvärvetenskapliga studier inom samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Övrig annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Energy efficiency

Households

Windows of opportunity

Behavior

Sustainable

Environment

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREAS

TVÄRVETENSKAPLIGA FORSKNINGSOMRÅDEN

Technology and social change

Teknik och social förändring

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)