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Unseen influence—The role of low carbon retrofit advisers and installers in the adoption and use of domestic energy technology

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  • Owen, A.
  • Mitchell, G.
  • Gouldson, A.

Abstract

Reducing climate changing emissions associated with residential property continues to be a significant challenge. Five case studies of different domestic energy technology schemes in England highlight the influence of advisers and installers in householders’ decisions to adopt low carbon technologies. Many of these advisers and installers are micro-enterprises working in connected groups in particular geographic areas. Such micro-enterprises form a large part of the construction sector, but despite the number of enterprises and the potential impact of changes in the behaviour of the sole traders and small firms, there appears to be little policy that specifically targets this group.

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  • Owen, A. & Mitchell, G. & Gouldson, A., 2014. "Unseen influence—The role of low carbon retrofit advisers and installers in the adoption and use of domestic energy technology," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 169-179.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:73:y:2014:i:c:p:169-179
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2014.06.013
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    6. O’Keeffe, Juliette M. & Gilmour, Daniel & Simpson, Edward, 2016. "A network approach to overcoming barriers to market engagement for SMEs in energy efficiency initiatives such as the Green Deal," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 582-590.
    7. Fabian Scheller & Isabel Doser & Daniel Sloot & Russell McKenna & Thomas Bruckner, 2020. "Exploring the Role of Stakeholder Dynamics in Residential Photovoltaic Adoption Decisions: A Synthesis of the Literature," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-31, November.
    8. Sam Hampton, 2018. "‘It’s the soft stuff that’s hard’: Investigating the role played by low carbon small- and medium-sized enterprise advisors in sustainability transitions," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 33(4), pages 384-404, June.
    9. Feser, Daniel & Runst, Petrik, 2016. "Energy efficiency consultants as change agents? Examining the reasons for EECs’ limited success," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 309-317.
    10. Cotton, Matthew & Van Schaik, Paul & Vall, Natasha & Lorrimer, Susan & Mountain, Andrea & Stubbs, Rosemary & Leighton, Charlotte & Leon, Edgar Segovia & Imani, Elena, 2024. "Just transitions and sociotechnical innovation in the social housing sector: An assemblage analysis of residents’ perspectives," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
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    13. Mignon, Ingrid & Winberg, Lisa, 2023. "The role of public energy advising in sustainability transitions – empirical evidence from Sweden," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    14. Decuypere, Robbe & Robaeyst, Ben & Hudders, Liselot & Baccarne, Bastiaan & Van de Sompel, Dieneke, 2022. "Transitioning to energy efficient housing: Drivers and barriers of intermediaries in heat pump technology," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    15. Murto, Pekka & Jalas, Mikko & Juntunen, Jouni & Hyysalo, Sampsa, 2019. "The difficult process of adopting a comprehensive energy retrofit in housing companies: Barriers posed by nascent markets and complicated calculability," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 955-964.
    16. Killip, Gavin & Owen, Alice, 2020. "The construction industry as agents of energy demand configuration in the existing housing stock," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    17. Webber, Phil & Gouldson, Andy & Kerr, Niall, 2015. "The impacts of household retrofit and domestic energy efficiency schemes: A large scale, ex post evaluation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 35-43.
    18. Miguel Macias Sequeira & João Pedro Gouveia, 2022. "A Sequential Multi-Staged Approach for Developing Digital One-Stop Shops to Support Energy Renovations of Residential Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-27, July.
    19. Feser, Daniel & Bizer, Kilian & Rudolph-Cleff, Annette & Schulze, Joachim, 2016. "Energy audits in a private firm environment: Energy efficiency consultants' cost calculation for innovative technologies in the housing sector," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 275, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    20. Zhou, Wei & Chen, Jin, 2021. "Is R&D helpful for China’s energy technology and engineering industry to respond to external uncertainties?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    21. Sonja Oliveira & Elena Marco, 2018. "Role of ‘Community Spaces’ in Residents’ Adaptation to Energy-Efficient Heating Technologies—Insights from a UK Low-Energy Housing Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-15, March.
    22. Murto, P. & Jalas, M. & Juntunen, J. & Hyysalo, S., 2019. "Devices and strategies: An analysis of managing complexity in energy retrofit projects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-1.
    23. Daniel Feser, 2023. "Innovation intermediaries revised: a systematic literature review on innovation intermediaries’ role for knowledge sharing," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 1827-1862, July.
    24. Wade, Faye & Shipworth, Michelle & Hitchings, Russell, 2016. "Influencing the central heating technologies installed in homes: The role of social capital in supply chain networks," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 52-60.

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