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The prospects for improved energy efficiency in the UK residential sector

McEvoy, D.; Longhurst, J. W.S.; McEvoy, D. W; Longhurst, James; Gibbs, D. C.

Authors

D. McEvoy

J. W.S. Longhurst

D. W McEvoy

D. C. Gibbs



Abstract

The perceived threat of climate change has become an important global issue of the 1990s, with measures to limit its ramifications now commonly linked to mainstream policy agendas. Reducing carbon intensity can be achieved through both supply and end-use energy strategies, though improvements in end-use efficiency are said to offer the best opportunities both in terms of effective investment and producing results in the short to medium term. UK policy makers have stressed that energy use in the home is a pressing area to be addressed. This paper reviews the myriad of efficiency options available, assessing the effectiveness of national and supra-national strategies in encouraging technical efficiency and stimulating beneficial behaviourial changes. Findings indicate that the range of (and commitment to) current efficiency measures, reinforced by a lack of policy coherence, ensures that future prospects remain ambiguous. Initiatives, though conceived at a variety of spatial scales, tend to be implemented at a localized level and it is the actions (and interactions) of local actors that may well determine the shape and success of sustainability measures.

Citation

Longhurst, J. W., McEvoy, D., McEvoy, D. W., Gibbs, D. C., & Longhurst, J. (1999). The prospects for improved energy efficiency in the UK residential sector. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 42(3), 409-424. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640569911163

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date May 1, 1999
Journal Journal of Environmental Planning and Management
Print ISSN 0964-0568
Publisher Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 42
Issue 3
Pages 409-424
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/09640569911163
Keywords energy efficiency, UK, residential sector
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1098479
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09640569911163