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- Ambrose, Aimee, et al.
(author)
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Histories of heating: looking back, moving forwards
- 2024
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In: Post-Carbon Inclusion : Transitions Built on Justice - Transitions Built on Justice. - 9781529229448 - 9781529229479 - 9781529229431 ; , s. 36-52
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)
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2. |
- Ambrose, Aimee, et al.
(author)
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Looking back to move forwards: A social and cultural history of home heating (JUSTHEAT) : Interim findings from the first round of case studies
- 2023
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This short report is one of a series of outputs to flow from the international,interdisciplinary project ‘Looking back to move forwards: a social and cultural historyof home heating’ (JUSTHEAT), funded through the Collaboration of Humanities andSocial Sciences in Europe (CHANSE) initiative, which began in 2022 and runs until2025. Within this project, we aim to understand how major changes to home heatingand heating technology over the last 70 years have impacted our lives in diverse andoften profound ways and how these impacts are experienced differentially acrossplace, time, social groups and even between different members of the same household.Ultimately, we aim to distil learning from these historic accounts to promote a morehumane, user centred and just approach to the current transition from fossil fuelled tolow carbon heating systems across the UK and the EU. In pursuit of this, the projectemploys a combination of oral histories, archival research, a network of fine artists andinnovative approaches to bridge the chasm between policy makers designing lowcarbon heating transitions and the needs and expectations of the citizens they serve.
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4. |
- Ashby, Kira, et al.
(author)
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Who are Hard-to-Reach energy users? Segments, barriers and approaches to engage them
- 2020
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In: 2020 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings : Efficiency: The Core of a Clean Energy Future - Efficiency: The Core of a Clean Energy Future. ; , s. 1-13
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Energy efficiency (EE) program administrators and policy makers have long encouraged the adoption of efficient technologies and conservation practices across all energy users and sectors. Energy users who haven’t yet participated in efficiency and conservation programs despite ongoing outreach are often referred to as “Hard-to-Reach” (HTR). These individuals or organizations can include, for instance, low income or rural audiences on the residential side and small businesses or building operators on the commercial side. More effectively engaging underserved and HTR audiences is key to ensuring everyone benefits equitably from efficiency and conservation interventions. In June 2019, energy efficiency, behavior change and HTR researchers, practitioners, and policy makers from five countries embarked on a 3-year project in partnership with the UserCentred Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Programme (Users TCP) by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The purpose of this effort is to characterize the diverse audience segments commonly referred to as HTR and to uncover the barriers and behavioral opportunities to more effectively engage them. This paper describes the first of these efforts. We have synthesized data from a global survey (N=110) and stakeholder interviews with 40+ energy efficiency experts striving to better understand and engage HTR in their respective countries. This paper provides initial insights from this data into how HTR energy users are defined across the world and which segments have been prioritized globally for focused outreach. The overarching goal is to use a standardized research process to inform and improve how energy efficiency, behavior change, and demand response programs targeting specific HTR audiences are designed, implemented and evaluated.
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6. |
- Palm, Jenny, et al.
(author)
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Exploring energy citizenship in the urban heating system with the ‘Walking with Energy’ methodology
- 2023
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In: Energy, Sustainability and Society. - 2192-0567. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Energy citizenship has emerged as a concept which attempts to capture the new role envisaged for urban citizens as engaged and active in the energy transition. However, exactly how to successfully engage energy citizens requires more research and this article aims to contribute to this knowledge gap. The article presents a new methodology, ‘Walking with Energy’, which seeks to (re)connect citizens with where their energy is coming from. By experimenting with the application of this method in the UK and Sweden, we consider how viewing and talking about heating provision, whilst in the energy landscape, can encourage participants to reflect upon their local, mundane energy experiences and foster a greater sense of energy citizenship and greater motivation to engage with debates around heating transition. Results: The article presents four different events: 1) A physical walk to an Energy Recovery Facility, 2) a walk to view a building’s heat exchanger, 3) a round-table discussion using pictures to communicate in a language café, and 4) a virtual tour around an Energy Recovery Facility. The way we conducted the events influenced who engaged, for example: the walk through a heat facility and the walk to visit a heat exchanger in the basement of a University building tended to attract white middle-class people, while the virtual tour attracted a more mixed audience in terms of age and background, but most had a strong environmental interest. The language café targeted immigrants. The different events resulted in many similar reflections, but there was also variation. For example, the walk through the heat facility generated the most focused and least diverse reflections, while the event focussed on the heat exchanger opened up a wide range of issues for discussion. Conclusions: We find that the method encouraged the sharing of personal experiences, storytelling, and deepened the engagement of participants with debates about energy. The method can help promote energy democracy and boost a deliberative dialogue about present and future energy systems among citizens. We also learnt that promotion of energy citizenship requires not only active citizens but also active facilitation to create opportunities for citizens to engage and reflect.
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7. |
- Palm, Jenny, et al.
(author)
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Understanding tenants’ responses to energy efficiency renovations in public housing in Sweden : From the resigned to the demanding
- 2020
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In: Energy Reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 2352-4847. ; 6, s. 2619-2626
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study focuses on the experiences of tenants in renovation projects of public housing rental apartments in Sweden. Tenants’ perspectives are under-researched in the context of energy efficiency renovation projects, which is a considerable oversight given the many ways in which such projects impact their lives. The aim of the paper is to reveal rare qualitative insights into tenants’ experiences of, and attitudes towards, energy efficiency renovations in a public housing context and the extent to which they feel motivated and able to influence the renovation project. Participatory observations at tenant meetings were conducted as well as semi-structured phone interviews. An empirically driven typology is developed indicating that tenants have different interests and attitudes regarding energy efficiency renovations. Six different types are identified: the satisfied; the demanding, the conservative, the resigned, the sceptical and the resistant.
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8. |
- Rotmann, Sea, et al.
(author)
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To what extent has COVID-19 impacted hard-to-reach energy audiences?
- 2021
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In: eceee Summer Study Proceedings. - 9789198387896 ; , s. 355-355
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Energy users who don’t participate in efficiency and conservation programmes despite ongoing outreach are often referred to as ‘Hard-to-Reach’ (HTR). These individuals or organisations can include, e.g., low income or vulnerable households; renters; and small businesses. More effectively engaging HTR audiences is key to ensuring everyone benefits equitably from low-carbon energy transitions and related (policy) interventions. This is even more so the case in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing implications for energy use and affordability for the most vulnerable (and newly-vulnerable) members of our society.Within this context, the main purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which HTR energy audiences have been impacted by COVID-19. Our primary method for this work was a comprehensive, critical literature review and a compilation of official statistics. We also collected survey, interview and focus group data during 2020 COVID-19 pandemic responses in the U.S., UK, NZ and Sweden. The geographical scope is determined by a 3-year project focusing on HTR energy users and implemented in partnership with the User-Centred Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Programme (Users TCP) by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Key findings we highlight and discuss in this paper:● Sweden has taken a different approach to manage COVID-19, yet when it comes to mobility, declines in demand (~25%) have shown relatively similar patterns to countries with stricter measures. ● In the UK, energy debt is growing due to higher domestic consumption arising from lockdown measures and the reduced income of many households. Most households (72%) have increased their energy (monthly gas and electricity bills are up £32) use. In response, 36% are turning thermostats down and 27% limiting lighting.● In the U.S., a survey of 1,000 energy customers found that more than 50% are using more energy, and monitoring their energy use less; 15% reported postponing a utility bill. ● NZ’s model COVID-19 “elimination” response has included housing, financial support, and specific energy payments to date, though unhealthy and unaffordable housing remains a major issue.Whereas the pandemic has exacerbated several elements of the HTR policy discourse (e.g. impacts on vulnerable and/or low-income households), our findings also reveal several opportunities and critical aspects for policy makers, researchers and utilities to identify and engage HTR energy users.
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