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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number ES/I007520/1
Title Reducing Energy Consumption Through Community Knowledge Networks
Status Completed
Energy Categories Energy Efficiency(Residential and commercial) 50%;
Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Environmental, social and economic impacts) 50%;
Research Types Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields SOCIAL SCIENCES (Sociology) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Consumer attitudes and behaviour) 25%;
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Technology acceptance) 25%;
Other (Energy technology information dissemination) 50%;
Principal Investigator Professor A (Andrew ) Dobson
No email address given
School of Politics, International Relations & Philosophy
Keele University
Award Type Standard
Funding Source ESRC
Start Date 01 March 2011
End Date 29 August 2014
Duration 42 months
Total Grant Value £370,882
Industrial Sectors
Region West Midlands
Programme Ventures
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Professor A (Andrew ) Dobson , School of Politics, International Relations & Philosophy, Keele University (99.996%)
  Other Investigator Professor RM (Mark ) Ormerod , Keele University (0.001%)
Dr PJJ (Philip ) Catney , School of Politics, International Relations & Philosophy, Keele University (0.001%)
Dr ZP (Zoe ) Robinson , Geography, Geology and the Environment, Keele University (0.001%)
Dr S (Sherilyn ) MacGregor , Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester (0.001%)
Web Site https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FI007520%2F1
Objectives
Abstract The 'clean' generation and use of energy is one of the biggest challenges facing us today. While tackling energy issues at an individual level is important, we know less about the potential for community-level initiatives to drive positive change. The research will focus on knowledge networks in two types of community with contrasting track records of energy-use engagement. The aim is to compare and contrast the energy-related knowledge circulation flows in these two types of community and to see which strategies work best in each of them. These results should be transferable to similar types of community beyond our target groups. The methodology will be emergent as the project seeks to engage the communities in the research process, especially in terms of measuring the success of interventions, but the focus will be knowledge network analysis. Research questions include:
  • How do we effectively disseminate information about energy reduction in different types of community?
  • Which actors/organisations within communities are the most effective at disseminating environmental knowledge?
  • What are the barriers to the adoption of energy reduction strategies in different types of community?
  • What is the relationship between new forms of knowledge about energy reduction and individual level behaviour change?
  • In what ways can legislation and planning policy be adjusted to promote more energy efficient practices appropriate to different types of community?
  • Publications (none)
    Final Report (none)
    Added to Database 17/07/15