Community-based initiatives on energy saving and behaviour change

Lecturer in Climate Change Economics, University of Reading

and

Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Social Policy, University of Southampton

 

 

Nick Bardsley and Milena Büchs report on their project following quantitative and qualitative research into community based initiatives for energy saving. The quantitative component consists of a matched case and control study of thermal improvements to buildings coupled with behavioural intervention, conducted over three years. As an initial exercise, they'll look at the effects of a householder meeting oriented around domestic energy saving. Results are consistent with non-negligible reductions in household electricity use measured using energy monitoring equipment, but no reduction in spatial heating.

 

The project they are presenting also addresses different theories on the role of involvement with community initiatives and energy saving/behaviour change, drawing on qualitative interviews with participants from the matched case and control study, and other community initiatives in the UK. Findings suggest that face to face interaction with other participants in community initiatives can encourage energy savings in several ways.

 

 

Community-based initiatives in energy saving is a research project funded under the RCUK ‘Energy and Communities’ programme. It examines whether involvement in a community-based initiative has an impact on households’ energy use, applying an experimental design. In addition, it compares the role of different community-based initiatives for energy saving from a qualitative perspective. Graham Smith is Principal Investigator, Co-investigators are Milena Buchs (Sociology and Social Policy), Clare Saunders (Politics), Patrick James (Civil Engineering), Nick Woodman (Civil Engineering) and Nick Bardsley (Economics, University of Reading). For more information go here.