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Learning about and involving users in energy saving on the local level

Heiskanen, Eva LU ; Johnson, Mikael and Vadovics, Edina (2013) In Journal of Cleaner Production 48. p.241-249
Abstract
European energy policy aims to shift the energy market towards an increased focus on energy services based on end-user needs. This requires a close understanding of the role of end-users and their needs and practices. Based on a European project called CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, we examine the interaction between energy users and energy efficiency practitioners. Using previous cases and our own pilots as data, we uncover the main difficulties in understanding and working with energy users. We argue that formal user research and interaction methods are helpful, yet insufficient for project success or even genuine user responsiveness. Additionally, methods and skills are needed for interacting with broader networks of stakeholders in the user... (More)
European energy policy aims to shift the energy market towards an increased focus on energy services based on end-user needs. This requires a close understanding of the role of end-users and their needs and practices. Based on a European project called CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, we examine the interaction between energy users and energy efficiency practitioners. Using previous cases and our own pilots as data, we uncover the main difficulties in understanding and working with energy users. We argue that formal user research and interaction methods are helpful, yet insufficient for project success or even genuine user responsiveness. Additionally, methods and skills are needed for interacting with broader networks of stakeholders in the user context. Moreover, user responsiveness requires informal interaction with energy users, interpersonal skills and human judgment, which are difficult to develop merely by using better methods. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Energy conservation, Energy efficiency, Local, Energy end-users, User interaction
in
Journal of Cleaner Production
volume
48
pages
241 - 249
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84879905427
ISSN
0959-6526
DOI
10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.08.019
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
212243f8-d21b-42a0-aeba-c4c9bbeb071b (old id 4279403)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:25:49
date last changed
2022-04-14 17:49:49
@article{212243f8-d21b-42a0-aeba-c4c9bbeb071b,
  abstract     = {{European energy policy aims to shift the energy market towards an increased focus on energy services based on end-user needs. This requires a close understanding of the role of end-users and their needs and practices. Based on a European project called CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, we examine the interaction between energy users and energy efficiency practitioners. Using previous cases and our own pilots as data, we uncover the main difficulties in understanding and working with energy users. We argue that formal user research and interaction methods are helpful, yet insufficient for project success or even genuine user responsiveness. Additionally, methods and skills are needed for interacting with broader networks of stakeholders in the user context. Moreover, user responsiveness requires informal interaction with energy users, interpersonal skills and human judgment, which are difficult to develop merely by using better methods.}},
  author       = {{Heiskanen, Eva and Johnson, Mikael and Vadovics, Edina}},
  issn         = {{0959-6526}},
  keywords     = {{Energy conservation; Energy efficiency; Local; Energy end-users; User interaction}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{241--249}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Cleaner Production}},
  title        = {{Learning about and involving users in energy saving on the local level}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.08.019}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.08.019}},
  volume       = {{48}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}