138 P. NAEF ET AL.
the energy mix and material arrangements, such as building stocks, before
turning to climatic considerations and the cost of energy. The conclusion
highlights the importance of embedding energy usage in socio-material
systems, tackling questions related to collective conventions, for example, as well as notions of sufficiency. While the policy and technological
dimensions of energy distribution are easier to account for in country
reviews, the collective conventions that hold together everyday practices
that use energy services would merit further study.
Keywords Socio-material systems · Governing frameworks ·
Sustainable energy · Sufficiency · Europe
introDuCtion
Households across Europe are key actors in energy transitions towards
reduced and improved energy usage, either through the introduction of
more efficient technologies in the home, or through more transformative
forms of change such as engagement in cooperative renewable energy
production. This edited collection presents a series of case studies, which
allow for a ‘zooming in’ around ten, country-specific framings on how
energy transitions are being addressed. In this chapter, we ‘zoom out’
and consider similarities and differences between countries in relation to
meso-level considerations. First, we focus on the governing frameworks
and policies related to energy usage, then we examine socio-demographic
characteristics including housing tenure and location. Next, we consider the energy mix and material arrangements, such as building stocks,
before turning to climatic considerations and the cost of energy. The
conclusion presents a summary discussion around how these different
elements of practices inter-relate, while also noting the lack of comparable data on collective conventions across the countries—an important
but often neglected dimension of household energy usage.
governing frameworks anD poLiCies
In 2016, the average of equivalent tonnes of Co 2 emissions per capita in
the European Union was 8.7. The countries represented in this collection are dispersed in a relatively balanced way around this value: Hungary
(6.3), Switzerland (6.4), the United Kingdom (7.9), Bulgaria (8.4)
the energy mix and material arrangements, such as building stocks, before
turning to climatic considerations and the cost of energy. The conclusion
highlights the importance of embedding energy usage in socio-material
systems, tackling questions related to collective conventions, for example, as well as notions of sufficiency. While the policy and technological
dimensions of energy distribution are easier to account for in country
reviews, the collective conventions that hold together everyday practices
that use energy services would merit further study.
Keywords Socio-material systems · Governing frameworks ·
Sustainable energy · Sufficiency · Europe
introDuCtion
Households across Europe are key actors in energy transitions towards
reduced and improved energy usage, either through the introduction of
more efficient technologies in the home, or through more transformative
forms of change such as engagement in cooperative renewable energy
production. This edited collection presents a series of case studies, which
allow for a ‘zooming in’ around ten, country-specific framings on how
energy transitions are being addressed. In this chapter, we ‘zoom out’
and consider similarities and differences between countries in relation to
meso-level considerations. First, we focus on the governing frameworks
and policies related to energy usage, then we examine socio-demographic
characteristics including housing tenure and location. Next, we consider the energy mix and material arrangements, such as building stocks,
before turning to climatic considerations and the cost of energy. The
conclusion presents a summary discussion around how these different
elements of practices inter-relate, while also noting the lack of comparable data on collective conventions across the countries—an important
but often neglected dimension of household energy usage.
governing frameworks anD poLiCies
In 2016, the average of equivalent tonnes of Co 2 emissions per capita in
the European Union was 8.7. The countries represented in this collection are dispersed in a relatively balanced way around this value: Hungary
(6.3), Switzerland (6.4), the United Kingdom (7.9), Bulgaria (8.4)