학술논문
Self-reported energy use behaviour changed significantly during the cost-of-living crisis in winter 2022/23: insights from cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys in Great Britain.
Document Type
Academic Journal
Author
Huebner GM; UCL Energy Institute, University College London, Central House, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0NN, UK. g.huebner@ucl.ac.uk.; Hanmer C; UCL Energy Institute, University College London, Central House, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0NN, UK.; Zapata-Webborn E; UCL Energy Institute, University College London, Central House, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0NN, UK.; Pullinger M; UCL Energy Institute, University College London, Central House, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0NN, UK.; McKenna EJ; UCL Energy Institute, University College London, Central House, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0NN, UK.; Few J; UCL Energy Institute, University College London, Central House, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0NN, UK.; Elam S; UCL Energy Institute, University College London, Central House, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0NN, UK.; Oreszczyn T; UCL Energy Institute, University College London, Central House, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0NN, UK.
Source
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101563288 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2045-2322 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 20452322 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Sci Rep Subsets: MEDLINE
Subject
Language
English
Abstract
The winter of 2022/23 has seen large increases in energy prices and in the cost of living in many countries around the world, including Great Britain. Here, we report the results of two surveys, combining cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis, in a sample of about 5400 British households. One survey was conducted early in 2023, the other when participants had signed up to an ongoing research study in the past five years. Thermostat settings were about 1°C lower during the cost-of-living crisis than before, and householders were more likely to turn the heating off when the home was unoccupied. The effort to save energy increased compared to pre-cost-of-living-crisis levels. Using the in-home display more in the cost-of-living crisis than before correlated with greater effort to save energy, supporting the notion that displaying energy data can be a useful tool for energy reductions. Finding it difficult to keep comfortably warm in the home and struggling with meeting heating costs were linked to lower wellbeing, strengthening evidence links between cold, damp, and hard-to-heat homes and negative mental health outcomes. About 40% of respondents lowered the flow temperature of the boiler which might imply that highly tailored information campaigns can be effective in changing behaviour.
(© 2023. The Author(s).)
(© 2023. The Author(s).)