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Efficiency and Consumption: Technology and Practice.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>2004
<mark>Journal</mark>Energy and Environment
Issue number6
Volume15
Number of pages13
Pages (from-to)1053-1065
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

It is probably true that energy policy has paid more attention to resources and resource efficiencies than to overall consumption. Partly because of this, more needs to be done to conceptualise the dynamics of consumer demand. In this article I take stock of what sociological theories of consumption, technology and practice might contribute to energy and environmental policy. Recent research on a) the future of comfort and b) sustainable domestic technology is used to illustrate and elaborate on the part that technical systems (efficient and otherwise) play in redefining concepts of service and thereby structuring patterns of resource consumption.