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In The Birth of Energy (2019), Cara New Daggett offers an incisive critique of the dominant thermodynamic concept of energy. 'Energy', Daggett shows, is inextricably tied to an exploitative productivist politics that extols the virtues of work and the sins of waste. In this paper, I seek to develop new conversations between Daggett's account in The Birth of Energy and an important empirical development within the energy industry that Daggett herself does not consider: the smart grid. The paper draws upon a mixed-methods research project, investigating a UK smart grid trial called 'OpenDSR' devised and implemented by Manchester-based co-operative Carbon Co-op, with funding from the UK government. I draw on my research within OpenDSR to make two interconnected arguments. Firstly, I argue that the smart grid sees an intensification of the energy-as-work logic that Daggett opposes, taking pre-existing preoccupations with calculation and measurement within the energy system to new extremes in pursuit of the maximisation of efficiency and the minimisation of waste. I then proceed to think through the political implications of this argument, contending that while the smart grid reproduces the dominant energy logic that Daggett critiques, it might still have a part to play within an emancipatory environmental politics. In making this claim, a second argument emerges, constituting a sympathetic critique of Daggett's account more broadly. Daggett offers an incisive and important contribution that does much to develop debates within the energy social sciences and humanities. However, I suggest that her account risks obscuring some important political differences between variegated forms of work and waste: while she makes a persuasive case for an anti-work conceptualisation of energy that portends liberation from waged labour, her analysis of the kinds of 'efficiency' that pertain to the energy system seems less compelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research aims to examine the main findings of the SusTEACH study of the carbon-based environmental impacts of 30 higher education (HE) courses in 15 UK institutions, based on an analysis of the likely energy consumption and carbon emissions of a range of face-to-face, distance, online and information and communication technology (ICT)-enhanced blended teaching models. Design/methodology/approach: An environmental assessment of 19 campus-based and 11 distance-based HE courses was conducted using questionnaire surveys to gather data from students and lecturers on course-related travel: the purchase and use of ICTs and paper materials, residential energy consumption and campus site operations. Results were converted into average energy and CO2 emissions, normalised per student per 100 study hours, and then classified by the primary teaching model used by lecturers. Findings: The main sources of HE course carbon emissions were travel, residential energy consumption and campus site operations. Distance-based HE models (distance, online and ICT-enhanced teaching models) reduced energy consumption by 88 per cent and achieved significant carbon reductions of 83 per cent when compared with campus-based HE models (face-to-face and ICT-enhanced teaching models). The online teaching model achieved the lowest energy consumption and carbon emissions, although there were potential rebound effects associated with increased ICT-related energy consumption and paper used for printing. Practical implications: New pedagogical designs using online and distance-based teaching methods can achieve carbon reductions by reducing student travel via residential and campus accommodation. Originality/value: Few studies have examined the environmental performance of HE teaching models. A new classification of HE traditional, online and blended teaching models is used to examine the role of ICTs and the likely carbon impacts.

This paper discusses the development of vulnerability policy in essential services in the UK, the position at present and what the future holds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to enhance and complement teaching about resource system feedbacks and environmental modelling. Students were given an interactive exercise based on a research model (ForeseerTM), developed by an inter-disciplinary research team, that explores the interconnectivity of water, energy and land resources. Two groups of students were involved, one of undergraduates and the other of graduates. Design/methodology/approach: The Foreseer model represents physical flows of the three resources (water, energy and land) using an interactive visual interface. The exercise was set up by giving students short instructions about how to use the tool to create four scenarios, and an online questionnaire was used to capture their understanding and their ability to extract information from the model. Findings: The exercise proved to be a helpful way to connect research and teaching in higher education, to the benefit of both. For students, it was an interactive and engaging way to learn about these complex sustainability issues. At the same time, it provided tangible feedback to researchers working on the model about the clarity of its user interface and its pedagogic value. Originality/value: This exercise represents a novel use of a resource model as a teaching tool in the study of the water, energy and land nexus, and is relevant to sustainability educators as an example of a model-centred learning approach on this topic.

Energy sustainability is prevalent in political and popular rhetoric and yet energy consumption is rising. Teenagers are an important category of future energy consumers, but little is known of their conceptions about energy and energy saving. We report on empirical research with two groups of teenagers. This is part of ongoing work to design learning technologies that support teenagers learn about personal energy consumption. In this paper we describe our analysis and methodology, which are shaped by the Ecology of Resources (EoR) design framework [Luckin, R. (2010). "Re-designing learning contexts: Technology-rich, learner-centred ecologies". London and New York, NY: Routledge]. Our findings informed the development of an EoR model of the participants' personal context, which includes their world resources (people, tools, knowledge, skills, and environment) and their personal resources (conceptions, motivations and concerns around energy consumption). We discuss the range of methods we employed to understand learners' personal contexts. These findings contribute to our understanding of how to explore teenagers' personal contexts and have implications for the design of technology to support learning about personal energy consumption.

The current use of two sets of units in the UK continues to be a source of muddle and confusion. Young people are taught metric (SI) units in school but, in the outside world, still have to contend with units such as inches, feet, pounds, stones and miles. Specialist teachers and practitioners of the sciences are not blameless. This paper considers the fact that some units commonly used in physics, astronomy, and physics education are unnecessary, involve time-wasting conversions and frequently lead to confusion or even error. This unsatisfactory situation is illustrated by examples, and suggestions are made for a radical improvement.

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate students' energy literacy at a UK university, and recommends ways in which it can be enhanced using a behaviour change model. Developing students' energy literacy is a key part of the "greening" agenda, yet little is known about how students develop their ideas about energy use and energy saving at a university. Design/methodology/approach: The research utilised a mixed-methods approach including an online survey (with 1,136 responses) and focus groups. Findings: The research identified strengths and weaknesses in students' energy literacy, and noted the relative influence of formal and informal curricula. The potential for aligning these curricula is highlighted through the 4Es model of enable, engage, exemplify and encourage. Research limitations/implications: The research involved a single instrumental case-study site. The wider applicability of the findings should therefore be tested further in other institutions. Practical implications: The research suggests ways in which universities might better support their students in making more sustainable energy-related behaviour choices, and it indicates the importance of knowledge as well as attitudes. Social implications: The research may have implications for the energy-saving behaviours of individuals in the wider society. Originality/value: Attempts to reduce energy use in higher education are widely seen in campus operations. This research provides an indication of the potential for enhancing energy-saving through different forms of curricula.

The present energy crisis is one which is rooted in the contradictions of the neoliberalisation of energy. The UK is one of the pioneers of energy neoliberalisation and has been experimenting with different market arrangements since the 1980s, yet has found itself particularly exposed to the impacts of a global energy price shock. Through an analysis of policy documents, regulatory reports and historical energy policy literature, I identify how privatisation, regulatory experiments and market engineering under a neoliberal policy paradigm helped to create the conditions for the present crisis. Drawing on Hall's conception of policy paradigms, I argue that the neoliberal policy paradigm, for energy, is locked in a cycle of interventions at the second order to manage the contradictions of the third order priority of securing privatised energy markets and maintain legitimacy for the neoliberal energy system. The current energy crisis has led to the government making increasingly extreme second order interventions to stabilise the energy system to secure the interests of electricity capital and fossil capital. The present crisis, however, exposes the limits to a socio-ecological fix (for people, and for capital) within neoliberal hegemony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK has some of the oldest buildings in Europe. They are also some of the worst performing in terms of energy performance. In tandem with these issues the UK has committed to making a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions. UK homes are currently responsible for almost 20 per cent of CO2 emissions. This leaves little option other than to make considerable progress with the retrofitting of homes to improve their energy performance. This is a technical process, however, and can introduce risks to building and their occupants. Examples exist of homes being retrofitted with disastrous consequences. Some of these issues can be due to the lack of thorough examination of a home before it undergoes a retrofit. This paper proposes a method that provides a detailed pre-retrofit assessment of a home, to fall in line with PAS 2035, a standard that provides guidance around publicly funded retrofit in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper responds to the need for a greater integration of energy and environment themes in the higher education curriculum. We explore the practical implications of empowering students towards the implementation of individual action research projects focused on investigating and addressing insufficient or wasteful energy consumption among households and businesses. The paper scrutinizes a series of teaching and assessment activities within this domain, undertaken during 6 consecutive academic years – between 2008 and 2013 – within a third-level undergraduate course unit at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. Using questionnaire surveys, assessed projects and interviews with the students, we have found evidence to suggest that the action research projects contributed to the emergence of constructive alignment in the entire teaching process, while opening the space for informal action learning ‘sets’ leading to the generation of new problem-solving skills useful in the job market. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Energy demand associated with energy consumption (commonly fossil fuels) has increased in line with the rise in world population and this has led to a number of complications. The best known and most prominent issue induced by fossil fuel utilization is unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions released as a result of the combustion of fuels. Emitted greenhouse gases from various sources, such as industrial plants, power plants, transportation services, residential utilization and so on, are largely responsible for global warming and climate change. According to latest reports, the share of the transportation sector in total energy-related CO2 emissions is approximately 23%. As a result of a detailed investigation and dissemination of transportation-induced emissions, air transportation is found to be responsible for approximately 3–4% of total energy-related CO2 emissions. The current study introduces a different perspective in the evaluation of aircraft greenhouse gas emissions. In this manner, a thermodynamic evaluation on the basis of the first and second laws of thermodynamics and a cost evaluation of greenhouse gases emitted from domestic flights in the UK are presented in the current paper, in addition to an environmental impact assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK government aims to transition its modern natural gas infrastructure towards Hydrogen by 2035. Since hydrogen is a much lighter gas than methane, it is important to understand the change in parameters when transporting it. While most modern work in this topic looks at the transport of hydrogen-methane mixtures, this work focuses on pure hydrogen transport. The aim of this paper is to highlight the change in gas distribution parameters when natural gas is replaced by hydrogen in the existing infrastructure. This study uses analytical models and computational models to compare the flow of hydrogen and methane in a pipe based on pressure loss. The Darcy-Weisbach and Colebrook-White equations were used for the analytical models, and the k- ε model was used for the computational approach. The variables considered in the comparison were the pipe material (X52 Steel and MDPE) and pipe diameters (0.01m–1m). It was observed that hydrogen had to be transported 250–270% the velocity of methane to replicate flow for a fixed length of pipe. Furthermore, it was noted that MDPE pipes has 2–31% lower pressure losses compared to X52 steel for all diameters when transporting hydrogen at a high velocity. Lastly, it was noted that the analytical model and computational model were in agreement with 1–5% error in their findings. [Display omitted] • Hydrogen is expected to replace methane by 2035 for domestic heating applications. • Analytical and computational models were used to compare flow of hydrogen and methane. • Hydrogen velocity must be up to 2.7 times faster than methane to replicate flow. • MDPE pipes showed lower pressure losses than steel pipes due to reduced roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar thermal systems have encountered a high level of interest over the last ten years due to their low cost and convenience in reducing energy load for domestic hot water. This paper aimed to introduce a new panel's material (Versa Tyle GRP Tiles) for solar thermal system and a prototype was built in a small shed at a site in Liverpool (UK), in order to assess its performance. The experiment was run for 12 months for the purpose of collecting and analyzing thermal data in terms of heat capacity, solar energy, and solar fraction. To simulate the daily use of water consumption and provide realistic outputs, the system was emptying every day at different durations in order to investigate the recovery period of the temperatures. The results proved the feasibility and efficiency of the Versa Tyle GRP as the maximum recorded temperature on the tiles was 68°C, and 51°C for the hot water in July; while winter months recorded a maximum of 26°C for the hot water. The system achieved average solar fraction of 36.52–47.43% between May to September, while in the rest of the months in the year, average solar fraction of 2.95%-18.59% were detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK government is committed to reducing carbon dioxide emission levels by 80%, comparative to the 1990 baseline, by 2050. 'Nearly-zero-energy buildings' (nZEBs) were introduced by the Energy Performance Building Directive (recast) in 2010 as a realistic solution to the intrinsic environmental debt associated with most existing buildings. This paper aims to carry out a life-cycle cost (LCC) analysis to identify what is a cost-optimal level and how best to achieve this by examining and focusing on the exploration of realistically applicable energy-efficient measures and retrofit scenarios for a typical UK dwelling. A sensitivity analysis is used to identify uncertainty and provide the expected economic benefits and losses of the applied scenarios over their respective lifetimes. It was established that the total LCCs of all the retrofit scenarios were in fact lower than that of the baseline scenario (i.e. not retrofitting the property) over the 30-year study period. Furthermore, it was found that the cost-optimal level for the retrofit of a typical UK residential dwelling is 75 (kWh/m2)/year; meanwhile, the UK's current nZEB target stands at 44 (kWh/m2)/year, meaning that there is a gap between the current nZEB target and the calculated cost-optimal level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A primary drawback of solar thermal technologies, especially in a domestic setting, is that collection of thermal energy occurs when solar irradiance is abundant and there is generally little requirement for heating. Thermochemical Energy Storage (TCES) offers a means of storing thermal energy interseasonally with little heat loss. A combination of a Solar Thermal Collector (STC) and TCES system will allow a variety of different heating applications, such as domestic space and hot water heating as well as low temperature industrial process heat applications to be met in a low carbon way. This paper describes and assesses the feasibility of two novel technologies currently under development at Loughborough University; i) an evacuated flat plate STC and ii) composite TCES materials, coupled together into a system designed to store and supply thermal energy on demand throughout the year. Experimental results of composite TCES materials along with predicted performance of STC's are used within a developed model to assess key metrics of conceptual TCES + STC systems feasibility, including; charging time, payback time, cost/kWh, energy savings and CO 2 savings. This paper demonstrates the economic, energy and carbon savings potential of conceptual TCES + STC systems suitable for domestic use. • Economic feasibility of novel TCES + STC conceptual systems presented. • Conceptual systems using a Vacuum Flat Plate Collector are the most economical. • 30% of the domestic space heating demand can be supplied using these systems. • Significant CO 2 reductions possible if systems installed in UK households. • Systems predicted to result in financial savings to the homeowner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Estimates of energy requirements are needed in weight management and are usually determined using prediction equations. The objective of these two systematic reviews was to identify which equations based on simple anthropometric and demographic variables provide the most accurate and precise estimates of (1) resting energy expenditure (REE) and (2) total energy expenditure ( TEE) in healthy obese adults. Methods Systematic searches for relevant studies in healthy adults with body mass index ( BMI) ≥25 kg m−2 and published in English were undertaken using Cinahl, Cochrane Library, OpenGrey, PubMed and Web of Science (completed March 2014). Search terms included metabolism, calorimetry, obesity and prediction equations. Data extraction, study appraisal and synthesis followed guidelines from PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses). Results From 243 REE papers and 254 TEE papers identified, 21 and four studies, respectively, met the inclusion criteria. (1) The most accurate REE predictions varied with BMI subgroup: WHO (weight and height) ≥25 and ≥30 kg m−2; Mifflin 30-39.9 kg m−2; Henry ≥40 kg m−2. The most precise REE predictions were obtained using Mifflin in BMI 30-39.9 and ≥40 kg m−2, where approximately 75% of predictions were within 10% of measured REE. (2) No accurate or precise predictions of TEE were identified. Conclusions No single prediction equation provides accurate and precise REE estimates in all obese adults. Mifflin equations are recommended in this population, although errors exceed 10% in 25% of those assessed. There is no evidence to support the use of prediction equations in estimating TEE in obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social housing organisations are increasingly installing renewable energy technologies, particularly for the provision of heating and hot water. To meet carbon reduction targets, uptake and installation must allow occupants to use the technology effectively. This paper describes research which investigated the service of installing heat pumps into UK social housing properties, from both landlords’ and tenants’ experiences. Adopting a user centred design approach, the research was in three phases: an exploration study to investigate landlords’ and tenants’ experiences of heat pump installation and use; refinement and development of the requirements for improved service delivery, primarily technology introduction and control; and the development and initial evaluation of an information leaflet as a key touchpoint in the service delivery. Recommendations for improved service delivery, to enable heat pumps to be accepted and used more effectively, are presented, as well as reflection on the process of applying user centred design in this context. In a relatively immature area of industry, installations to date have been heavily focused on technical aspects. This paper provides an insight into the human aspects of the service delivery of heat pumps in social housing, providing designers and social housing landlords with insight about how to improve the service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the equity implications of a transition to a decentralised energy system in the UK. We base our analysis on one of three idealised transition pathways developed by the EPSRC-funded Realising Transition Pathways (RTP) project. Each pathway is characterised by a different mix of technologies, ownership and governance of the energy transition, and stretches from 2010 to 2050. In this paper we focus on the 'Thousand Flowers' (TF) pathway, which stipulates a much greater role for civil society in the energy system. Here, civil society actors are instrumental in delivering 50 per cent of final electricity demand from decentralised, low-carbon sources by 2050. Such a radical and systemic transition will require both institutional as well as technological change. The systemic institutional transformation necessary to support wide-spread adoption of community/decentralised energy schemes and the potential distributional impacts have, however, received limited attention to date. To address this gap, we draw on collected outputs of the RTP consortium and extant literatures on community and decentralised energy to explore potential institutional barriers and distributional impacts of the TF pathway. We argue a transition to a TF future would require significant institutional changes to UK energy governance, new municipal and community business models, and new financial and organisational structures in energy ownership. Second, widespread adoption of distributed energy sources would undermine the viability of traditional large power plants; leading to the need for new forms of state support to maintain assets at transmission level. Finally, we contend that expanded community energy provision has the potential to reproduce, or even exacerbate, existing socio-economic and spatial inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of ‘fuel poverty’, referring to affordable warmth, underpins established research and policy agendas in the UK and has been extremely influential worldwide. In this context, British researchers, official policymaking bodies and NGOs have put forward the notion of ‘transport poverty’, building on an implicit analogy between (recognised) fuel poverty and (neglected) transport affordability issues. However, the conceptual similarities and differences between ’fuel’ and ’transport’ poverty remain largely unaddressed in the UK. This paper systematically compares and contrasts the two concepts, examining critically the assumption of a simple equivalence between them. We illustrate similarities and differences under four headings: (i) negative consequences of lack of warmth and lack of access; (ii) drivers of fuel and transport poverty; (iii) definition and measurement; (iv) policy interventions. Our review suggests that there are important conceptual and practical differences between transport and domestic energy consumption, with crucial consequences for how affordability problems amongst households are to be conceptualised and addressed. In a context where transport and energy exhibit two parallel policy worlds, the analysis in the paper and these conclusions reinforce how and why these differences matter. As we embark on an ever closer union between our domestic energy and transport energy systems the importance of these contradictions will become increasingly evident and problematic. This work contributes to the long-term debate about how best to manage these issues in a radical energy transition that properly pays attention to issues of equity and affordability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The notion of ‘fuel poverty’, referring to affordable warmth, underpins established research and policy agendas in the UK and has been extremely influential worldwide. In this context, British researchers, official policymaking bodies and NGOs have put forward the notion of ‘transport poverty’, building on an implicit analogy between (recognised) fuel poverty and (neglected) transport affordability issues. However, the conceptual similarities and differences between 'fuel' and 'transport' poverty remain largely unaddressed in the UK. This paper systematically compares and contrasts the two concepts, examining critically the assumption of a simple equivalence between them. We illustrate similarities and differences under four headings: (i) negative consequences of lack of warmth and lack of access; (ii) drivers of fuel and transport poverty; (iii) definition and measurement; (iv) policy interventions. Our review suggests that there are important conceptual and practical differences between transport and domestic energy consumption, with crucial consequences for how affordability problems amongst households are to be conceptualised and addressed. In a context where transport and energy exhibit two parallel policy worlds, the analysis in the paper and these conclusions reinforce how and why these differences matter. As we embark on an ever closer union between our domestic energy and transport energy systems the importance of these contradictions will become increasingly evident and problematic. This work contributes to the long-term debate about how best to manage these issues in a radical energy transition that properly pays attention to issues of equity and affordability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The governments of Britain, France, and the United States are seeking to promote renewed investment in nuclear power through metagovernance. Metagovernance describes the way governments can leverage state power and resources to shape the behavior of networked actors to advance policy goals. To metagovern, governments use a variety of policy tools but the factors shaping the design of these policy tools remains unclear. Grid-group cultural theory is used to show that the design of the policy tools used in metagovernance reflects both an underlying cultural bias within government and prevailing institutional circumstances. The paper demonstrates the utility of cultural theory in the study of metagovernance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel poverty is now widely recognised in the UK as a distinct form of social inequality and injustice, but exactly which energy-uses and services should be incorporated into conceptualisations of fuel poverty is rarely discussed explicitly. In this paper, we investigate how different energy-uses are portrayed as part of fuel poverty by national government and NGOs in the UK. We find that, to some degree, official definitions of fuel poverty in the UK include multiple energy-uses. However, this is not reflected in dominant policy and NGO discourses which predominantly frame fuel poverty as solely a lack of adequate space-heating. We conclude by discussing whether non-heating energy-uses and services should be more fully recognised and incorporated into fuel poverty discourses and policy measures, identifying two areas that warrant further research and debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional buildings constitute a large proportion of the building stock in many countries worldwide; around 40% of the UK's housing stock was built before 1940 and was primarily made with solid masonry walls. Only 11% of UK solid-walled dwellings had insulation installed, suggesting the high potential of the low-carbon retrofit of traditional buildings. However, there is evidence of the occurrence of unintended consequences, often associated with excess moisture. A method is presented for moisture risk management that includes the development of a process and a framework. These tools are then integrated into a novel framework for the combined energy and moisture performance retrofit of traditional buildings. An example of the framework's practical application is provided, with a focus on retrofit measures for solid-wall insulation. The proposed systematic approach demonstrates the interconnected nature of energy and moisture. It harmonises the principles needed to support organisations in the delivery of robust retrofit of traditional buildings through the integration of pre-retrofit building assessment and post-retrofit monitoring in the process. The risk-management process and framework presented can be valuable tools to support designers in providing robust and scalable retrofit measures and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health and performance of students and teachers are influenced by the internal environment of school buildings such as noise levels, indoor temperature, air quality and light. Providing good internal environmental conditions with minimum energy for schools has long been a concern in school design guidelines around the world. The growing necessity to save energy in an uncertain future and to provide a good indoor environment in schools suggests that school designers should approach design more holistically in order to offer a better internal environment and to reduce the gap between design and performance. This paper investigates design issues in UK schools through case study analysis and a review of the literature. The main reasons for these design issues can be attributed to the lack of optimisation of different internal environment factors and their relation with energy consumption; the lack of understanding occupants’ response to the environment; the lack of building adaptability and the inappropriate application or use technology. This paper urges school designers to look at these factors holistically in order to overcome these problems in the future design of UK schools. This study also suggests an Environmental Circle to look at the interrelation between comfort factors through their sub factors in a holistic manner in order to prevent any conflict between. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the UK, it has become apparent in recent years that there is often a discrepancy between the steady-state predicted and the measured in situ thermal performance of the building fabric, with the measured in situ performance being greater than that predicted. This discrepancy or gap in the thermal performance of the building fabric is commonly referred to as the building fabric 'performance gap'. This paper presents the results and key messages obtained from undertaking a whole-building heat loss test (a coheating test) on seven new-build dwellings as part of the Technology Strategy Board's Building Performance Evaluation Programme. While the total number of dwellings involved in the work reported here is small, the results illustrate that a wide range of discrepancies in thermal performance was measured for the tested dwellings. Despite this, the results also indicate that it is possible to construct dwellings where the building fabric performs thermally more or less as predicted, thus effectively bridging the traditional building fabric performance gap that exists in mainstream housing in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sophistication in the demand management approaches in both transport and energy sectors and their interaction call for modelling approaches that consider both sectors jointly. For agent-based microsimulation models of travel demand and energy consumption, this implies the necessity to ensure consistent representation of user behaviour with respect to mobility and energy consumption behaviours across the model components. Therefore this paper proposes a microeconomic framework, termed the HOT model (Home, Out-of-home, Travel) grounded in the goods-leisure paradigm, but extended to incorporate emerging activity-travel behaviour patterns and their energy consumption implications. We discuss how the model can be operationalised and embedded within agent-based frameworks with a case study using time use and energy consumption data from the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited microeconometric evidence on the efficacy of environmental Negotiated Agreements (NAs) is an obstacle to both their introduction and effective design. We help fill this gap by providing evidence on the impact of the second Climate Change Agreements (CCAs) on business electricity consumption and employment. The CCAs are NAs offering a reduction on the Climate Change Levy (CCL), an energy consumption tax, in exchange for commitments to improve energy efficiency. We use the novel changes-in-changes method to account for heterogeneity in treatment effects. Our results indicate that the second CCAs yielded improved outcomes compared to the counterfactual of full CCL with an average reduction of − 4.81% in electricity consumption. They also reveal the importance of allowing for heterogeneity, as the impact on electricity consumption at the identified deciles varied between − 9.33 and 12.54%. This is a marked difference from the first CCAs which were found to increase consumption. The heterogeneity in treatment response is corroborated when extending the study to two large industrial sectors in the sample and when studying firms selecting differing target reporting methods. Confirming the findings from earlier studies of the first scheme, our results indicate a non-statistically significant reduction in employment, about − 4.6% on average, for the second CCAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates factors associated with variation in daily total (electricity and gas) energy consumption in domestic buildings using linked pre-COVID-19 smart meter, weather, building thermal characteristics, and socio-technical survey data covering appliance ownership, demographics, behaviours, and attitudes for two nested sub-samples of 1418 and 682 British households selected from the Smart Energy Research Laboratory (SERL) Observatory panel. Linear mixed effects modelling resulted in adjusted R2 between 63% and 80% depending on sample size and combinations of contextual data used. Increased daily energy consumption was significantly associated (p -value < 0.05, VIF < 5) with: households living in buildings with more rooms and bedrooms, that are older, more detached, have air-conditioning, and experience colder (more heating degree days) or less sunny weather; households with more adult occupants, more children, older adult occupants, higher heating temperature setpoints, and that do not try to save energy. The results demonstrate the value of smart meter data linked with contextual data for improving understanding of energy demand in British housing. Accredited UK researchers are invited to apply to access the data, which has recently been updated to include over 13,000 households from across Great Britain. This paper provides guidance on appropriate methods to use when analysing the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonisation is becoming a central aim of countries around the globe, ensuring the effects of climate change do not increase exponentially in the coming years. Renewable energy generation is at the core of this decarbonisation process, enabling economies to divorce themselves from a reliance on oil and coal. Hybrid energy systems can utilise multiple generation methods to supply electrical demand best. This paper investigates the use of localised hybrid energy systems around the UK, comparing the financial viability of solar, wind and hydrokinetic generation methods both as a hybrid system and individually in different scenarios. The significance of having localised hybrid energy systems is that they address two large problems within renewable energy generation, that of storage issues and also generating the electricity far away from where it is actually used, requiring extensive infrastructure. The microgrid optimisation software HOMER was used to simulate each of the generation methods alongside the national grid, including lithium ion batteries and converters to create a comprehensive hybrid system. Net Present Cost, which is the current value of all the costs of installing and operating the system over the project lifetime, was considered as the metric. The analysis finds that for each modelled location, wind turbines in combination with lithium ion batteries and a converter is the system with the lowest Net Present Cost, with the exception of Bristol, which also uses hydrokinetic turbines within the system. The findings indicate the extensive wind resources available within the UK, along with identifying that certain locations around the country also have very high potential for tidal power generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically investigates the influence of building fabric, services and occupant related factors on actual energy use of six case study dwellings, located in three new low energy social housing developments in UK, covering a variety of built forms and construction systems (timber frame, hempcrete, steel-frame). Physical monitoring of indoor environment and window-opening is cross-related with building fabric and systems’ performance, and qualitative data gathered through occupant surveys, review of control interfaces and handover guidance, to understand the causes of the gap between modelled and measured energy use. Actual energy use is found to exceed design expectations by a factor of three, questioning the need for whole-house mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) systems at measured air permeability rates of 6 m³/(h.m²) against the design target of 3 m³/(h.m²). Lack of proper commissioning of MVHR and heating systems, combined with inadequate user comprehension about their operation and control leads to occupant ‘misuse’ wherein systems are de-activated, thereby negatively affecting indoor air quality. This is confounded by occupant factors related to higher demand temperatures, unexpected opening of windows during winters due to under-performance of MVHR combined with habitual behaviours, and over-use of heating systems to compensate for higher than expected air permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years there has been a significant change in the distribution of wind farms in Great Britain, with a trend towards very large offshore farms clustered together in zones. However, there are concerns these clusters could produce large ramping events on time scales of less than 6 h as local meteorological phenomena simultaneously impact the production of several farms. This paper presents generation data from the wind farms in the Thames Estuary (the largest cluster in the world) for 2014 and quantifies the high frequency power ramps. Based on a case study of a ramping event which occurred on 3rd November 2014, we show that due to the large capacity of the cluster, a localised ramp can have a significant impact on the cost of balancing the power system on a national level if it is not captured by the forecast of the system operator. The planned construction of larger offshore wind zones will exacerbate this problem. Consequently, there is a need for accurate regional wind power forecasts to minimise the costs of managing the system. This study shows that state-of-the-art high resolution forecast models have capacity to provide valuable information to mitigate this impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global energy policies embracing a transition to unconventional oil and gas development are hallmarks of many developed nations. Among these, the United Kingdom has framed the development of shale gas as one means to transition from high‐carbon fossil‐fuel consumption to low‐carbon alternatives. Yet the introduction of this industry and recent legislation associated with it have not been without controversy. Communities throughout the United Kingdom are engaged in sustained debates concerning climate change, health, the scale of extraction footprints, securitisation, and governance. Places such as Kirby Misperton, the focus of this article, are representative of many villages where questions abound about the role of justice at all stages and scales of governmental decision‐making. Using a legal geographic lens, this article examines narratives among local residents who are actively resisting the arrival of unconventional gas. I consider how the relationships between and among energy transition, policy, and justice have been interpreted by communities and argue for inequity and risk to be addressed in more transparent ways. I contend that highlighting counter‐narratives remains essential if powerful arguments by governments and others are to be negated. Fundamentally, true justice can only prevail when all stakeholders are considered legitimate and their opinions valid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how actors in the UK electricity sector are attempting to deliver investment in low carbon generation. Low carbon technologies, because of their relative immaturity, capital intensity and low operational costs, do not readily fit with existing electricity markets and investment templates which were designed for fossil fuel based energy. We analyse key electricity market and infrastructure policies in the UK and highlight how these are aimed at making low carbon technologies ‘investable’ by reducing uncertainty, managing investment risks and repositioning actors within the electricity socio-technical ‘regime’. We argue that our study can inform contemporary debates on the politics and governance of sustainability transitions by empirically investigating the agency of incumbent regime actors in the face of uncertainty and by offering critical insights on the role of markets and finance in shaping socio-technical change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK government has committed to reducing its carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are high energy users, with the largest proportion of their energy demand for space heating; an area still dominated by carbon-intensive fuels. This research addresses the UK HEI space temperature policy landscape, making direct links between space temperature policy and carbon management, advocating the development of evidence-based policies as a critical tool for reducing carbon emissions within the sector. Sixty-six space temperature policies were reviewed, and five experienced energy managers were interviewed to understand the range, development and use of space temperature policies in UK HEIs. The research identified a lack of consistency across these policies, leading to missed opportunities for making energy and carbon savings. The research highlights gaps in the available data and literature needed to connect policy to its effectiveness, and identifies the use of policy as a defensive tool against complaints rather than an active driver of energy reduction. A series of recommendations are proposed for national and institutional policymakers, suggesting areas for improvement and future research to facilitate effective development and practice in space temperature policy towards net-zero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To quantify the sector-wide energy and nutritional differences of both adult and children's restaurant menu items in the UK and the USA in 2018. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Energy and nutritional information provided on restaurant websites. Participants: Menu items (n 40 902) served by forty-two large UK chains and ninety-six large USA chains. Results: Mean absolute energy, fat and saturated fat values were higher in USA menu items. For example, the mean adjusted per-item differences of adult menu items between the USA and the UK were 45·6 kcal for energy and 3·2 g for fat. Comparable figures for children's menu items were 43·7 kcal and 4 g. Compared with UK menu items, USA adult menu items also had higher sugar content (3·2 g, 95 % CI (0·5, 6)), and children's menu items had higher Na content (181·1 mg, 95 % CI (108·4, 253·7)). Overall, 96·8 % of UK and 95·8 % of USA menu items exceeded recommended levels for at least one of Na, fat, saturated fat or sugars. Conclusions: Menu items served by large chain restaurants had higher mean absolute levels of energy, fat and saturated fat in the USA compared with the UK. UK adult menu items were also lower in sugars compared with the USA ones and children's items lower in Na. As more than 95 % of all items were considered to have high levels of at least one nutrient of public health concern in the USA and the UK, improvements in restaurant menu items are needed in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an experiment on markets for services, we find that consumers are likely to stick to default tariffs and achieve suboptimal outcomes. We find that inattention to the task of choosing a better tariff is likely to be a substantial problem in addition to any task and tariff complexity effect. The institutional setup on which we primarily model our experiment is the UK electricity and gas markets, and our conclusion is that the new measures by the UK regulator Ofgem to improve consumer outcomes are likely to be of limited impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ’MOT’ vehicle inspection test record dataset recently released by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) provides the ability to estimate annual mileage figures for every individual light duty vehicle greater than 3 years old within Great Britain. Vehicle age, engine size and fuel type are also provided in the dataset and these allow further estimates to be made of fuel consumption, energy use, and per vehicle emissions of both air pollutants and greenhouse gases. The use of this data permits the adoption of a new vehicle-centred approach to assessing emissions and energy use in comparison to previous road-flow and national fuel consumption based approaches. The dataset also allows a spatial attribution of each vehicle to a postcode area, through the reported location of relevant vehicle testing stations. Consequently, this new vehicle data can be linked with socio-demographic data in order to determine the potential characteristics of vehicle owners. This paper provides a broad overview of the types of analyses that are made possible by these data, with a particular focus on distance driven and pollutant emissions. The intention is to demonstrate the very broad potential for this data, and to highlight where more focused analysis could be useful. The findings from the work have important implications for understanding the distributional impacts of transport related policies and targeting messaging and interventions for the reduction of car use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different policies of the UK government have been initiated to reduce energy consumption in the housing sector. Various models have been developed to analyse the impact of these policies, which are classified as disciplinary or multidisciplinary models comprising variables related to technology, economic, sociology, occupants behaviour and climate. While being multidisciplinary, these models have limitations in simulating the complexity of household energy consumption. As a sociotechnical problem, this research aims to develop a system dynamics model to analyse profiles of household energy consumption considering the interrelationships among these influential variables. The model can assess the effect of different energy initiatives before/during their implementation. The proposed model has been used to test the effectiveness of the UK initiative Green Deal (GD) based on the most recent statistics released by the government. The model results indicate that carbon dioxide emissions savings of about 40% and 60% below the base year of 1990 are possible by 2020 and 2050, respectively. As a policy advice tool, this means that it is unlikely for this initiative by its own to meet the required legally binding reductions of 80% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 unless the GD initiative is vigorously pursued with other energy initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State-of-the-art scenario exercises in the energy and environment fields argue for combining qualitative storylines with quantitative modelling. This paper proposes an approach for linking a highly detailed storyline with multiple, diverse models. This approach is illustrated through a cross-scale study of the UK power system transition until 2050. The storyline, called Central Co-ordination , is linked with insights from six power system models and two appraisal techniques. First, the storyline is ‘translated’ into harmonised assumptions on power system targets for the models. Then, a new concept called the landscape of models is introduced. This landscape helps to map the key fields of expertise of individual models, including their temporal, spatial and disciplinary foci. The storyline is then assessed based on the cross-scale modelling results. While the storyline is important for transmitting information about governance and the choices of key actors, many targets aspired in it are inconsistent with modelling results. The storyline overestimates demand reduction levels, uptake of marine renewables and irreplaceability of carbon capture and storage. It underestimates the supply–demand balancing challenge, the need for back-up capacity and the role of nuclear power and interconnectors with Europe. Thus, iteratively linking storylines and models is key. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a UK context, encouraging the uptake of energy efficiency measures at the household level is an ongoing challenge of ever-increasing importance. A combination of economic and psychological factors influence green investment decisions and so this study aims to determine whether online focus groups are a viable means of interacting and evaluating the effectiveness of personality tailored marketing strategies. Here, we present the learnings from over 70 synchronous online focus groups undertaken with a UK energy provider's household customers (N = 143) to test the effectiveness of two energy product propositions (smart thermostat and hybrid heat pump) through two channels of communication: video and discussion. The researchers examined and analysed the online engagement and focus group method, focusing on the customer feedback, appropriateness of the approach and how it works in practice, providing key learnings for further research. The approach allowed for greater interaction with a geographically and demographically diverse pool of participants, many of whom are time poor and would ordinarily be unwilling or unable to participate. In this article, we report the differences between implementing online focus groups and face-to-face focus groups and examine the difficulties and uncertainties, in particular relating to entry to sessions and drop-out rates. Online focus groups were found to be a viable, flexible and convenient method for engaging with an energy company's current customer base in the comfort of their own home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expert guidance in the UK suggests a limit to temperatures in bedrooms to of 26°C or less to avoid overheating. This short paper looks at the temperatures in bedrooms and uses data from comfort surveys combined with models which link comfort to the thermal environment. Evidence is given that people sleep comfortably where temperatures are 29–31°C in their personal space within the bed and they use bedclothes to allow them to attain these temperatures. The effect of the use of a mattress and the adaptive opportunities afforded by the bedclothes and sleepwear are briefly explored as are methods used in hot climates to offset high bedroom temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy planning tools can support transitions to low carbon energy by helping planners to identify technology options and scenarios. Exploring a case study of district heating development to support heat decarbonisation in the United Kingdom (UK), this article uses thematic analysis of qualitative semistructured interviews conducted between May 2013 and August 2015 with local and regional government officials, in order to consider how energy planning decision-making tools can be designed to support the early stages of low carbon transitions as a form of strategic niche management. The findings of this analysis are then tested through the development of a spatial heat planning tool covering England and Wales, designed to respond to the needs of niche actors seeking to facilitate early development of district heating projects. The tool is for use by local government actors as they seek to build social networks of stakeholders to support the technology change, to demonstrate its value and to support skills development. The research shows the importance of designing flexible tools which can go beyond techno-economic criteria and reflect the wider motivations and decision criteria of local actors, including social criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advantages of double-skin facade (DSF) systems, ranging between their aesthetic architectural benefits, acoustic benefits and ability to decrease the heating demand of the internal environment, have increased their popularity in Europe since the mid-1980s. However, appropriate consideration must be accorded to their design to ensure that their possible advantages are not negated. This work evaluates how the effect of extraction fans installed in the cavity of the DSF adjoining a central atrium impacts the thermal condition of the atrium and, consequently, the overall energy consumption of an existing UK hotel building. The results of the investigation demonstrated that the DSF extraction fans improve the internal temperature and condition of the adjacent central atrium, particularly in the summer. The fans result in a marginal increase in the overall energy consumption when operated throughout the year; hence, the optimum schedule for the operation of the extraction fans is during the cooling-dominant period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contains a doctrinal analysis of the law and policy encouragement towards a low carbon energy transition in the Scotland. To do this, the present article is primarily focused on electricity sector of the Scotland and its commitment towards a low carbon transition in this sector in coming years. This article analyzes the existing significant laws and policies in Scotland that encourage towards a low carbon transition. However, it also evaluates international obligation upon the Scotland and the UK, as well, towards this transition. Subsequently, it assesses the UK's legal framework in this regard. However, Scotland is firmly committed to achieve its targets towards a low carbon transition in the power sector although it needs more incentive and tight observation of the government to smoothen the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on musical preference has been dominated by two approaches emphasizing, respectively, the arousal-evoking qualities of a piece or its typicality of the individual’s overall musical experience. There is a dearth of evidence concerning whether either can explain preference in conditions of high ecological validity. To address this, the present research investigated the association between sales of 143,353 pieces of music, representing all the music that has enjoyed any degree of commercial success in the United Kingdom, and measures of both the energy of each piece (as a proxy for arousal) and the extent to which each piece was typical of the corpus. The relationship concerning popularity and energy was U-shaped, which can be reconciled with earlier findings, and there was a positive relationship between the typicality of the pieces and the amount of time they featured on sales charts. The population-level popularity of an entire corpus of music across several decades can be predicted by existing aesthetic theories, albeit with modifications to account for market conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the upscaling technological stage in the life cycle of capital-intensive technologies from the business history viewpoint. We correspondingly demonstrate how the pursuit of technological trajectories based on systematic increases in the size and power capacities of units pushed a new class of professionals, skills and procedures to the forefront of business decision-making. From 1958 onwards, forecasting framed and sharpened organisational insight into problems. Drawing on archival data on coal-fired, oil-fired and nuclear powered stations in England and Wales, the final section proceeds to measure the gap between reality and forecasts and singles out three major hypotheses to explain forecasting errors: inability to predict rapid changes outside the model (inter-fuel substitution); disregard of technical shortcomings in replication and standardisation, and overconfidence in extrapolating cost reductions at higher capacity levels. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]