Abstract
Reducing domestic energy use is a critical part of working towards an overall reduction in greenhouse gases. It also has important implications for household living costs, particularly for those who may already be under financial stress. This thesis explores which kinds of energy consumers are more vulnerable in our community and what are the barriers to changing their consumption behaviours so that they can save money and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.It is widely recognised that increasing costs and changing trends in household energy supply are a significant socio-economic driver in modern society. A detailed review of the literature identified considerable variability in the definition of and use of the key term; energy vulnerability. A new definition for household energy vulnerability is proposed, one that differs from previous studies in that it is clearly focused on vulnerability related to domestic energy consumption. Building on this proposed definition, a nuanced understanding of barriers to energy efficiency is explored through addressing the specific barriers which relate to the levels of energy vulnerability.
The thesis case study is of households in Canberra, Australia. This case study is used to explore what socio-demographic characteristics are associated with household energy vulnerability using the measure, and whether they are similar or different to those previously identified in the literature. Implications of these findings are described for better identifying those who have high household energy vulnerability. This information is proposed as being important in developing segmentation targeting to support development of better, more
targeted energy efficiency interventions.
This thesis contributes to understanding energy efficiency in domestic households and to identifying potential interventions which would support improving the energy efficiency of households. This information has important implications for the adoption of energy saving behaviours and informing policy interventions seeking to improve household energy use while protecting vulnerable households from increases in living costs.
| Date of Award | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | Jacki SCHIRMER (Supervisor) & Ross THOMPSON (Supervisor) |