Owen, A, Mitchell, G and Unsworth, R (2013) Reducing carbon, tackling fuel poverty: adoption and performance of air-source heat pumps in East Yorkshire, UK. Local Environment: the international journal of justice and sustainability, 18 (7). 817 - 833. ISSN 1354-9839
Abstract
Deploying heating technologies, such as air-source heat pumps (ASHPs), can respond to the dual challenges of tackling fuel poverty and reducing carbon emissions from domestic energy consumption. In the UK, ASHP performance has been found to be below design levels. Elements of three strands of literature – innovation diffusion, environmental psychology and neighbourhood effects – are combined to gain insights into why the adoption and performance of ASHPs are lagging policy targets and design potential. Evidence from users, installers and area-based scheme facilitators suggests that the perceived complexity of the technology is a barrier. The level of technology maturity and the typical profile of the elderly fuel poor do not match; the target group might prefer to be late adopters or laggards in adopting technology. The role of installers is critical as the disruption from installation is a barrier to adoption and ASHPs place demands on users to change existing practices.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Keywords: | heat pumps; fuel poverty; carbon reduction; innovation diffusion; place effects; installation |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Geography (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 14 Nov 2014 12:39 |
Last Modified: | 03 Nov 2016 01:04 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2012.732050 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis (Routledge) |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/13549839.2012.732050 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:81203 |