Brown, D., Middlemiss, L. orcid.org/0000-0001-5185-2033, Davis, M. et al. (7 more authors) (2025) Rethinking retrofit: Relational insights for the design of residential energy efficiency policy. Energy Research & Social Science, 120. 103863. ISSN 2214-6296
Abstract
The ‘retrofit’ of energy efficiency, low carbon heating and renewable microgeneration measures in homes is a major focus for energy and climate policy. Yet despite policy interventions, few countries are achieving their residential decarbonisation targets. In this paper we argue that a core reason for this failure is the mainstream ‘rational actor’ framing of households, which guides energy efficiency policymaking. We introduce an alternative ‘relational’ framing to re-examine the assumptions surrounding the retrofit ‘customer journey’ and the accompanying policy framework. In doing so, the study draws on three United Kingdom (UK) case studies, exploring the customer journey of households self-funding renovations and retrofit, via (n = 30) semi-structured interviews. We argue that by paying attention to relational dynamics, we can better design policies that work with the grain of existing household practices and social relations. This includes: 1) Leveraging existing entry points such as when renovating or moving home 2) Aligning with how households currently seek advice and procure renovation services 3) Developing solutions which factor broader motivations than simply cost savings 4) Designing inclusive and long-term financing models and 5) Building trusted ongoing relationships between contractors and communities. Consequently, we argue a paradigm shift in retrofit policymaking towards a relational approach is now required.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) 180181 557124 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 19 Dec 2024 11:29 |
Last Modified: | 19 Dec 2024 11:30 |
Published Version: | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/... |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103863 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:220960 |
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