60 M. ISKANDARoVA AND A. GENUS
introDuCtion
This chapter outlines developments in UK national energy policies and
Sustainable Energy Consumption Initiatives (SECIs), exploring dominant framings for current energy challenges and possible solutions. The
chapter identifies approaches that rely on alternative problem framings
(or ‘imaginaries’ c.f. Genus and Iskandarova 2018; Jasanoff and Kim
2009) that may be better adapted to addressing these challenges.
The chapter consists of six sections. The section “Socio-Material
Dynamics of Domestic Energy Use” introduces socio-material aspects
of energy use in households. The next section, “Energy Policy in the
UK”, provides a brief summary of nationally specific trends and their
manifestation in energy policy in the UK with implication for energy
consumption. The section “Trends in Energy Campaigns and Types of
Sustainable Energy Consumption Initiatives in the UK” gives examples
of energy campaigns and SECIs that illustrate the different problem
framings of energy discussed in Chapter 2 (see also Jensen et al. 2017).
The section “BedZED: A ‘Good Practice’ Example” provides a good
practice example of a national SECI that corresponds to the ‘changes in
complex interactions’ category in the problem framing typology. Finally,
the section “Concluding Remarks” summarises how the energy challenge
is currently typically framed in the UK, while pointing to an alternative
imaginary or framing which could tackle the challenge more effectively.
soCio-materiaL DynamiCs of DomestiC energy use
According to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy,
the domestic sector accounts for more than a quarter of total energy consumption in the UK (28% in 2017). The fuel mix has changed significantly since 1970, when 49% of final energy consumption was provided
by solid fuels and 24% by gas; these days the balance looks very different—
1.6 and 66% respectively (BEIS 2018). In the UK, space and water heating
accounts for 80% of final domestic energy consumption, which is also
susceptive to temperature fluctuations. In addition to weather-related
factors, energy consumption is affected by household characteristics
including the age of housing, efficiency measures (e.g. level of insulation)
and the usage of appliances (BEIS 2018). Air conditioning is not a common feature in British houses; fireplaces as well as outdoor heaters and
power showers are more popular. An additional factor to be considered
introDuCtion
This chapter outlines developments in UK national energy policies and
Sustainable Energy Consumption Initiatives (SECIs), exploring dominant framings for current energy challenges and possible solutions. The
chapter identifies approaches that rely on alternative problem framings
(or ‘imaginaries’ c.f. Genus and Iskandarova 2018; Jasanoff and Kim
2009) that may be better adapted to addressing these challenges.
The chapter consists of six sections. The section “Socio-Material
Dynamics of Domestic Energy Use” introduces socio-material aspects
of energy use in households. The next section, “Energy Policy in the
UK”, provides a brief summary of nationally specific trends and their
manifestation in energy policy in the UK with implication for energy
consumption. The section “Trends in Energy Campaigns and Types of
Sustainable Energy Consumption Initiatives in the UK” gives examples
of energy campaigns and SECIs that illustrate the different problem
framings of energy discussed in Chapter 2 (see also Jensen et al. 2017).
The section “BedZED: A ‘Good Practice’ Example” provides a good
practice example of a national SECI that corresponds to the ‘changes in
complex interactions’ category in the problem framing typology. Finally,
the section “Concluding Remarks” summarises how the energy challenge
is currently typically framed in the UK, while pointing to an alternative
imaginary or framing which could tackle the challenge more effectively.
soCio-materiaL DynamiCs of DomestiC energy use
According to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy,
the domestic sector accounts for more than a quarter of total energy consumption in the UK (28% in 2017). The fuel mix has changed significantly since 1970, when 49% of final energy consumption was provided
by solid fuels and 24% by gas; these days the balance looks very different—
1.6 and 66% respectively (BEIS 2018). In the UK, space and water heating
accounts for 80% of final domestic energy consumption, which is also
susceptive to temperature fluctuations. In addition to weather-related
factors, energy consumption is affected by household characteristics
including the age of housing, efficiency measures (e.g. level of insulation)
and the usage of appliances (BEIS 2018). Air conditioning is not a common feature in British houses; fireplaces as well as outdoor heaters and
power showers are more popular. An additional factor to be considered