Smart Communities: working together to save energy?

Funded by ESRC, Smart Communities was a three and a half year – largely demand-side or ‘behaviour change’ – community energy project (January 2011 to June 2014). The project drew on the principles of participatory action research, and took place in Kingston upon Thames in south west London. The main action phase of the project was from May 2011 to May 2013. 

My role on the the Smart Communities project was Co-investigator, working with colleagues at Kingston University.

Key findings

1. Smart Communities shows that community action on energy over two years can support: knowledge about domestic energy consumption and about the consumption of household appliances, as well as behaviour change and energy efficiency measures.
2. Lack of energy know-how – ideas about what to do and how to implement these ideas – is a significant constraint on behaviour change. In-home demonstration and longer term guidance by local experts can support the acquisition of energy know-how, and stimulate significant action and change. 
3. Smart Communities produced long term engagement with energy feedback – after 2 years, up to 40% of IHD users claim to use their IHD every day. This level of engagement was supported by weekly emails that prompted use of IHDs and contributed to a sense of ‘being part of something’. 
4. Participation, action and change were extensive in some households, but in many others participation was limited and change confined to basics such as switching-off lights and not overfilling kettles.
5. Energy can rapidly become an integral part of primary school life. This is highly dependent on the head teacher and makes considerable demands on school staff. Parents’ commitment to using less energy increased when they thought about it in the context of their children’s education.
6. Energy behaviour change is a complex and lengthy process. It involves numerous changes some of which involve time-consuming consideration, information gathering and discussion by household members. Consequently, the funding of demand-side community energy projects needs to be ongoing.
7. From a practice theory perspective, Smart Communities suggests that, while ‘meanings’ are particularly resistant to change, ‘materials’ and ‘skills’ are more amenable to change. 
8. Smart Communities highlights the ways in which theoretical insights can directly support and inform practical action by local groups. Smart Communities helped to develop local community energy networks; as a result, the project will be continued, developed and extended in the future.

Policy/practice report

Burchell, K., Rettie, R. Roberts, T. (2014) Working together to save energy? Final report of the Smart Communities project.

Papers

Burchell, K., Rettie, R. and Roberts, T (2016) Householder engagement with energy consumption feedback: the role of community action and communications. Energy Policy, 88:78–186.

Burchell, K., Rettie, R. and Roberts, T (2015) What is energy know-how and how can it be shared and acquired by householders?, ECEEE Summer Study Proceedings 2015, 1979-1990.

Burchell, K., Rettie, R., Roberts, TC (2014) Community, the very idea!: perspectives of participants in a demand-side community energy project, People, Place and Policy, 19 December 2014.

Working paper

Burchell, K., Rettie, R. and Roberts, T. (2018). The hard work of reconfiguring everyday energy consuming practices, working paper.