Niall Dunphy
University College Cork, School of Engineering, Department Member
- Dr Niall Dunphy is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Engineering and Architecture and the Environmental Resea... moreDr Niall Dunphy is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Engineering and Architecture and the Environmental Research Institute at University College Cork, Ireland. He is the Director of the university’s Cleaner Production Promotion Unit, a multidisciplinary research group working at the intersection of the social sciences with science and engineering. The group conducts engaged research centred on the theme of society, sustainability and energy. Niall’s research interest are focused around the human dimension of sustainability, with a particular emphasis on people’s relationship with energy and the energy system.edit
There is an increasing number of regulatory and public policy initiatives aimed at improving building energy efficiency, recognizing the importance of the built environment to achieve lower energy related emissions. However, these efforts... more
There is an increasing number of regulatory and public policy initiatives aimed at improving building energy efficiency, recognizing the importance of the built environment to achieve lower energy related emissions. However, these efforts have generally focused on the building scale. A comprehensive reduction of carbon emissions from construction requires a wider focus, considering the building as well as the lifecycle of materials and their supply chains. There is a need for robust analysis of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) implications of construction supply chains and to optimize supply chains configurations so as to minimize GHG emissions across multiple organizations. This chapter provides a rigorous means of assessing the dynamic and complex supply chains of construction to obtain optimal and sustainable levels of GHG reductions in a whole-of-chain approach. Outcomes represent critical new knowledge, enabling deeper understanding as well as enhanced capacity to maximize energy savings from the built environment.
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Energy Efficiency Retrofit (EER) forms a critical component of strategies to reduce energy demand and is increasingly a source of investment and added economic value. While there is a growing body of literature on the technical aspects of... more
Energy Efficiency Retrofit (EER) forms a critical component of strategies to reduce energy demand and is increasingly a source of investment and added economic value. While there is a growing body of literature on the technical aspects of EER, research to date has typically focused on the project or component level, to the detriment of system-wide studies. Understanding the materials and monetary flows within supply chains and the value interactions between stakeholders is vital in optimising the long-term capacity of the sector, and increasing the uptake of EER solutions. This chapter forwards a value approach to modelling retrofit activities, providing an analysis of typical EER materials in construction project supply chains. The reported research demonstrates a novel application of value analysis in the construction industry.
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With global greenhouse gas emissions on the rise, the higher education sector has recognised the part it must play in reducing its carbon footprint, setting an example for others to follow in the global fight against climate change. In... more
With global greenhouse gas emissions on the rise, the higher education sector has recognised the part it must play in reducing its carbon footprint, setting an example for others to follow in the global fight against climate change. In 2019 University College Cork undertook the complex task of designing and developing a Climate Action Plan, beginning with the compilation of a detailed inventory of the university’s greenhouse gas emissions and followed by a period of engaged research during which potential climate action measures were identified by key stakeholders. In response to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and introduction of public health restrictions, a structured dialogue – modified Delphi – approach was employed as part of the engaged research. This mixed-methods approach proved successful at identifying a number of potential opportunities for reducing the university’s carbon footprint, with the structured dialogue method in particular offering the researchers numerous advantages for conducting engaged research during the unique circumstances arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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There is an increasing number of regulatory and public policy initiatives aimed at improving building energy efficiency, recognizing the importance of the built environment to achieve lower energy-related emissions. However, these efforts... more
There is an increasing number of regulatory and public policy initiatives aimed at improving building energy efficiency, recognizing the importance of the built environment to achieve lower energy-related emissions. However, these efforts have generally focused on the building scale. A comprehensive reduction of carbon emissions from construction requires a wider focus, considering the building as well as the lifecycle of materials and their supply chains. There is a need for robust analysis of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) implications of construction supply chains and to optimize supply chains configurations so as to minimize GHG emissions across multiple organizations. This chapter provides a rigorous means of assessing the dynamic and complex supply chains of construction to obtain optimal and sustainable levels of GHG reductions in a whole-of-chain approach. Outcomes represent critical new knowledge, enabling deeper understanding as well as enhanced capacity to maximize energy savings from the built environment.
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Given the deep, transformative, and systemic changes needed to transition to low-carbon energy configurations, the current level of socio-political discourse remains calcified around classic understandings of the role of the citizen and... more
Given the deep, transformative, and systemic changes needed to transition to low-carbon energy configurations, the current level of socio-political discourse remains calcified around classic understandings of the role of the citizen and normative representations of participation. These are almost exclusively framed in terms of consumption behaviors and practices. This merging of citizenship and consumerism is deeply problematic on a number of levels. By narrowly defining the potential of citizens to the singular role of consumer, there is a very real risk we will not achieve the socio-technical transformations that must take place if we are to mitigate against runaway climate change. This chapter explores these issues in the context of a growing body of literature on competing for energy democracy imaginaries. Significant barriers remain, from misunderstandings of what constitutes participation to the roles and expectations placed on citizens who must contend with the growing inequalities already locked into existing democratic structures.
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Notwithstanding the diversification discourses on the energy transition, the supply of energy remains substantially organized along traditional power structures, namely large-scale generation facilities and centralized grids. Until... more
Notwithstanding the diversification discourses on the energy transition, the supply of energy remains substantially organized along traditional power structures, namely large-scale generation facilities and centralized grids. Until recently, there has been little or no citizen involvement beyond that of consumer, bounded by the supply and demand parameters of the market. However, this is changing. Citizens are increasingly encouraged to take on more diverse roles, ranging from active consumer to more participative prosumer arrangements. This shift offers what have heretofore been unlikely opportunities, particularly in terms of the democratization and diversification of how energy is produced and consumed. Two vehicles to emerge from a recent policy cycle of the European Union are Citizen Energy Communities (CECs) and Renewable Energy Communities (RECs). Both legal entities (in the EU at least) frame a diverse range of financial instruments, business models, and citizen groupings that typically comprise the new energy infrastructure projects that characterize the Energy Transition in Europe. This presentation will introduce findings from the ACCEPT H2020 project, for which the authors utilized a multi-level analysis of the intersecting governance and sociopolitical frameworks that impact CEC formation. From this, we were able to develop a typology of key drivers and obstacles motivating citizen participation in CEC and REC projects across Europe.
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Decades of techno-economic energy policymaking and research have meant evidence from the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH)—including critical reflections on what changing a society’s relation to energy (efficiency) even means—have been... more
Decades of techno-economic energy policymaking and research have meant evidence from the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH)—including critical reflections on what changing a society’s relation to energy (efficiency) even means—have been underutilised. In particular, (i) the SSH have too often been sidelined and/or narrowly pigeonholed by policymakers, funders, and other decision-makers when driving research agendas, and (ii) the setting of SSH-focused research agendas has not historically embedded inclusive and deliberative processes. The aim of this paper is to address these gaps through the production of a research agenda outlining future SSH research priorities for energy efficiency. A Horizon Scanning exercise was run, which sought to identify 100 priority SSH questions for energy efficiency research. This exercise included 152 researchers with prior SSH expertise on energy efficiency, who together spanned 62 (sub-)disciplines of SSH, 23 countries, and a full range of career s...
53,000 tonnes of blade waste from on-shore wind farms will potentially be generated in Ireland by 2040. The recycling of blades, which are made from composite material, is costly and thus far no high volume recycling solution exists.... more
53,000 tonnes of blade waste from on-shore wind farms will potentially be generated in Ireland by 2040. The recycling of blades, which are made from composite material, is costly and thus far no high volume recycling solution exists. Repurposing blades into second life structures is an alternative which is gaining in popularity, but has many challenges. Green Public Procurement has the potential to help drive demand for blade products in Irish public works. The Re-Wind project has generated a Design Atlas with 47 blade product concepts and these are screened for their ability to overcome repurposing challenges. Three Irish scenarios are developed based on this ranking, maximal utilization of the blade, and on the end customer. Life Cycle Assessment is used to determine the marginal environmental impacts of the raw material substitution provided by the use of blade material. Focusing on greenhouse gas emissions, an estimated 342 kg CO2 e can be saved for every tonne of blade waste used in these scenarios. Blade substitution of steel products was found to provide the most impact, followed by substitution of concrete products. Although repurposing is unlikely to offer an end-of-life solution for all Irish blade waste, the use of 20% of this material annually would divert 315 tonnes of blade waste from landfill, as well as avoiding emissions of 71,820 kg CO2 e. Green procurement has the potential to create a demand for repurposed blade products, which in turn could create jobs in high unemployment areas. Utilization of repurposed, local material could contribute to creating resiliency in supply chains. Both job creation and supply chain resiliency are essential for a post-Covid recovery in Ireland.
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This paper in using a novel application of the Delphi panel method, explores and consolidates the future visions of a low carbon and climate resilient future in Ireland through community-based visioning processes that emerged through... more
This paper in using a novel application of the Delphi panel method, explores and consolidates the future visions of a low carbon and climate resilient future in Ireland through community-based visioning processes that emerged through co-created, deliberative approaches at local level. It embraces a visioning process that applies a transdisciplinary approach, which aims to match different visions and stakeholder needs, combining bottom-up and top-down perspectives. Community visions were articulated by means of a series of deliberative futures workshops facilitated by the transdisciplinary project research team. Through iterations of the Delphi feedback loop, the notion of deep and shallow agreement is explored to examine the spectrum of consensus to dissent around the co-developed future visions and pathways of climate action, articulated by the Irish community case study. This approach enables a critical exploration of the conventional science-policy-practice nexus through the use of innovative creative communication and engagement methods. Findings suggest that more deliberative forums which bring together a diverse range of stakeholders are needed to develop a shared vision for the future; the importance of language use and the creation of a shared vocabulary of climate action; and the power of civic imaginaries in helping to create useful future narratives.
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A key goal of work package 5 of the ENTRUST project has been to establish a cohesive community research environment utilising participatory action research (PAR) techniques that encourage active participant engagement in the project and... more
A key goal of work package 5 of the ENTRUST project has been to establish a cohesive community research environment utilising participatory action research (PAR) techniques that encourage active participant engagement in the project and the issues informing ENTRUST's intersectional, co-design programme. Creating the creative spaces whereby stakeholders can identify, consider, and then deliberate on, the actions and behaviours that influence their own participation and positionality in the energy system and its current transition was an essential component of this process. Therefore, it was important for the research team to this by implementing a range of iterative, multi-scalar dialogues with participants within each case study community, which in turn informed the engagements in the other communities where applicable. This report presents ENTRUST's approach to meeting these conditions, demonstrating how the research team integrated the essential requirement of achieving ge...
The aim of this document is to provide a collaborative approach for engaging with building users and occupants during the design process for building refurbishment and design. The Introduction outlines the objective of the report and the... more
The aim of this document is to provide a collaborative approach for engaging with building users and occupants during the design process for building refurbishment and design. The Introduction outlines the objective of the report and the general principles which were adopted to guide the development of the approach to occupant and user engagement. Section One reviews the current state of play regarding the involvement of building occupants and users in building design and post-occupancy evaluation. Section Two outlines the process of stakeholder engagement which was undertaken as part of the research for this report. Section Three of the report outlines a wide range of methods that can be used to engage with building occupants and users and involve them in the design process. Each of these methods is described in Section 3, as well as characterised in terms of the depth of participation it affords; its capacity for promoting inclusivity; the timeframe required; the costs involved; t...
This deliverable reports on the planning and implementation of activities designed to explore the most appropriate means of engaging stakeholders. Particular focus was placed on the building occupants and users in the three demo sites of... more
This deliverable reports on the planning and implementation of activities designed to explore the most appropriate means of engaging stakeholders. Particular focus was placed on the building occupants and users in the three demo sites of the NewTREND project. These activities comprised the second strand of stakeholder engagements for WP6. Task 6.2 placed an emphasis on engaging with those stakeholders who are more often overlooked in more traditional stakeholder engagement processes. Traditionally, the experiences of professionals and stakeholders have invariably come to the fore, with those categorised as users/occupants having less of a voice. Therefore, Task 6.2 has tried to remedy that somewhat and focus of the user/occupier experiences. For context, the first strand of stakeholder engagement in WP6 focussed on traditional stakeholders and decision makers i.e. the professionals, designer teams and building owners, whose experiences were captured in the engagements with the Local...
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This report explores ways of incentivising performance through contract models and makes specific recommendations for promoting life-cycle orientated incentive-driven contractual arrangements for efficient building projects . The... more
This report explores ways of incentivising performance through contract models and makes specific recommendations for promoting life-cycle orientated incentive-driven contractual arrangements for efficient building projects . The development of novel incentivised performance contract models, which incorporate a life-cycle perspective and spread risk (and rewards) between the different stakeholders has the potential to overcome some of these difficulties and incentivise energy efficient building activity. This report has been prepared to contribute to addressing this issue by specifically exploring the use of 'Incentive-driven contract models' in energy efficiency building projects. The recommendations included in this report will be combined with the business models to be described in detail in D4.5 (Generic business models applicable for EeB stakeholders in Europe) and tested for each of the four flagship projects in Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom.
This report use previously developed understandings of energy efficient building value chains as the basis for assessing existing policy frameworks supporting innovation and energy efficient buildings in the regions of the flagship... more
This report use previously developed understandings of energy efficient building value chains as the basis for assessing existing policy frameworks supporting innovation and energy efficient buildings in the regions of the flagship projects. Based on this analysis, recommendations are forwarded to improve multi-level (local, regional, national and/or EU) innovation governance such that it offers a more significant support to innovative energy efficient building projects.
Past energy transitions have been characterised by strategic geopolitical and socio-economic drivers that rarely considered issues of social justice or community cohesion. This is interesting given the profound systemic reconfigurations... more
Past energy transitions have been characterised by strategic geopolitical and socio-economic drivers that rarely considered issues of social justice or community cohesion. This is interesting given the profound systemic reconfigurations that took place. The current transition to low-carbon energy has seen a departure of sorts, particularly in terms of the complex, intersecting drivers involved. Consequently, there has been a widening of the roles citizens are expected to take, particularly in terms of participation and engaging with the energy system. However, differing interpretations of how these roles are to be expressed, and the degree of power to be assigned those roles, has resulted in contradicting responses from local people. The rollout of what appear to be broadly popular renewable energy technologies has met with strong resistance at the local level. Place attachment – especially in terms of belonging, identity, relationships, and acceptance – has come to define localised responses to recent (inter)national energy and climate-related policy. Understanding how place attachment affects the (re)negotiating of local understandings of place is therefore important, as is its role in sustaining narratives of resistance to locally unpopular strategic energy projects. This paper will present findings from the SEAI-funded project, EnergyPolities and cognate work, which explored how governance structures intersect with socio-economic and key socio-cultural factors to influence the social acceptability or otherwise of current energy transition pathways. It will also examine recent responses from powerful actors challenged by emerging citizen participation and engagement roles, and discusses the tactics used to limit the diversity of voices and perspectives in the energy transition.
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This document reports on a study of the perceptions and attitudes towards energy technologies undertaken in six case study communities in France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. This exploration is conducted as part of a... more
This document reports on a study of the perceptions and attitudes towards energy technologies undertaken in six case study communities in France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. This exploration is conducted as part of a research project exploring the 'human factor' in the energy system, within which a complementary study of energy-related practices is also being prepared. Both of these studies are taking an intersectional approach to the analysis, recognising that people have multiple, interdependent, overlapping axes of social identity – this research is focusing on gender, socio-economic privilege and age. The purpose of the report is to move away from the dominating paradigm of treating people as uniquely rational decision-makers and introduce the very real social contexts through which they negotiate and understand their role within the energy system; with specific focus on their views on the energy technologies that comprise it. The underlying feelings, a...
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This document examines the energy-related practices that take place in six case-study communities located in France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. This exploration is conducted as part of a research project exploring the... more
This document examines the energy-related practices that take place in six case-study communities located in France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. This exploration is conducted as part of a research project exploring the 'human factor' in the energy system, within which a complementary study of the perceptions and attitudes towards energy technologies has also been produced. Both of these studies are taking an intersectional approach to the analysis, recognising that people have multiple, interdependent, overlapping axes of social identity – these studies focus particularly on issues of gender, socio-economic privilege and age. The purpose of the report is to move away from the dominant behaviouralist perspective – wherein people are treated as uniquely rational decision-makers – and introduce the very real social contexts through which they negotiate and understand their role within the energy system; with specific focus on their views on the energy technolo...
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This report is an initial mapping exercise examining the available information on socio-demographic factors, which influence energy behaviours and practices in six European countries: France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United... more
This report is an initial mapping exercise examining the available information on socio-demographic factors, which influence energy behaviours and practices in six European countries: France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. It both catalogues and characterises the principal datasets available to researchers in each country, as well as indicating specific research projects that provide information on the socioeconomic and socio-demographic aspects of energy behaviour. The report aims to provide a baseline from which ENTRUST can proceed in developing a deepened understanding of how human behaviour around energy is shaped by both technological systems and socio-demographic factors, in particular gender, age and socioeconomic status. It prepares the ground for the detailed analyses of energy-related behaviours, practices, perceptions and attitudes in the five communities of practice, which forms the substance of WP3. Section 1 outlines the purpose of the report as...
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This document outlines the preliminary content, and task planning for the delivery of the ENTRUST project knowledge and communication platform.
WP2 undertakes an extensive characterisation of energy system actors. Within this context, this deliverable D2.1, as part of T2.1, is essential as its objectives are to develop an energy actor-network typology and to appreciate the... more
WP2 undertakes an extensive characterisation of energy system actors. Within this context, this deliverable D2.1, as part of T2.1, is essential as its objectives are to develop an energy actor-network typology and to appreciate the complexity of the factors that can play a role in the transition towards a more sustainable energy era. The T2.1 and its 'stakeholder analysis' is aimed at informing subsequent work packages in terms of mapping the direct and indirect influences on the energy system, and the actors that comprise it. To accomplish this, an extensive data gathering exercise has been conducted to develop insights on the energy models of Ireland, UK, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and at the EU level. In addition, a number of key energy topics were studied in greater detail, and a range of discourses on the energy transition were mapped. An extended map for each of the six countries was produced. The extensive data gathering enabled the identification and exploration ...
One of the key ambitions of the Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation is to achieve gender equality and gender mainstreaming in research. These guidelines provide a blueprint to achieve those ambitions in the... more
One of the key ambitions of the Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation is to achieve gender equality and gender mainstreaming in research. These guidelines provide a blueprint to achieve those ambitions in the ENTRUST project. Achieving gender inclusivity in dissemination activities requires consideration of how language practices, and the use of imagery, can enhance inclusion. Inclusive dissemination practices can enhance communication, encourage input and feedback from participants, and ensure full participation, by all stakeholders. In order to develop gender inclusivity in dissemination activities, researchers must reflexively interrogate their own preconceptions of gender. They should take account of their own gender positions, and how their gender intersects with other sociocultural positions, and consider how these can impact on their own communication styles and practices. Gender inclusivity in both language use, and imagery, as well as in delivery, is ...
This deliverable forwards concepts of novel business models which will contribute to the fostering of the energy transition through addressing specific social, market and other barriers. The objective being to facilitate stakeholders... more
This deliverable forwards concepts of novel business models which will contribute to the fostering of the energy transition through addressing specific social, market and other barriers. The objective being to facilitate stakeholders (whether suppliers or consumers of energy) to shape and progressively interact with the energy system to effectively deliver a low-carbon system. The examples of (more) sustainable business models forwarded in this report will in particular, but not entirely focus on community- based approaches (complementing the work presented in Lennon, Dunphy et al., 2018) and public-private partnerships as a means of addressing issues such as public acceptance, split incentives, risk sharing, etc.
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he transformation of the energy sector is important in addressing the challenges of both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Energy is crucial for supporting basic human needs, development and well- being. The future evolution of... more
he transformation of the energy sector is important in addressing the challenges of both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Energy is crucial for supporting basic human needs, development and well- being. The future evolution of the energy system will be fundamentally shaped by socio-economic conditions and drivers, available energy resources, technologies of energy supply and transformation, and end-use energy demand, as well as social acceptance and policy choices. The energy sector transformation also has important implications for social and environmental sustainability goals. Consequently, bottom-up and practice-based social innovations need to be incorporated in an integrated manner to achieve the required paradigm shift. This Deliverable has presented outcomes of Task 6.3 of the ENTRUST project. This task is framed in recognition that technological innovation alone is insufficient to achieve low-carbon transitions. The key framing question has been: "how can new t...
In this Deliverable, a mixed methods approach (using surveys, interviews, focus groups and workshops, as well as desktop review) is applied to gain insights into the complex understandings, expectations and feelings on energy practices,... more
In this Deliverable, a mixed methods approach (using surveys, interviews, focus groups and workshops, as well as desktop review) is applied to gain insights into the complex understandings, expectations and feelings on energy practices, the energy system, and its future. A mix of citizen and expert opinions were canvassed to identify their preferred vision and expectations for the future energy system. Based on empirical research findings, portfolios of future energy system visions were developed and subjected to review and appraisal using: a Delphi-panel-like expert review and analysis; SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of outputted visions and appraisal of Lifecycle and Cost-benefit implications. The rationale for utilising these methods was to produce a coherent synthesis of the differing data sets and the range of analytical techniques applied. Envisioning exercises, including scenario development, provide an essential foundation from which to highlig...
The paper demonstrates the use of Multiple Decision Diagrams (MDDs) in consideration of building energy retrofit options. Candidate retrofit alternatives including associated key performance indicators (KPIs) (e.g. cost, energy, embodied... more
The paper demonstrates the use of Multiple Decision Diagrams (MDDs) in consideration of building energy retrofit options. Candidate retrofit alternatives including associated key performance indicators (KPIs) (e.g. cost, energy, embodied carbon) can be compiled into MDDs where various performance implications can be effectively illustrated and KPI trade-offs explored. We argue MDDs are flexible supporting a wide range of computations around the decision process. Significantly, we show KPIs can also be used as constraints in the search for satisfactory retrofit configurations and conclude that the MDD approach complements existing methods of optimising building energy retrofit options by providing a reduced initial search space.
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The potential of the built environment to contribute in reducing societal carbon intensity has been well established. The EU Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2011 posits that buildings offer greater potential than any other area of activity,... more
The potential of the built environment to contribute in reducing societal carbon intensity has been well established. The EU Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2011 posits that buildings offer greater potential than any other area of activity, noting they account for ca. 40% of final energy consumption.
There are three broad strands of performance metrics that are applied to decision-making in building energy retrofits, viz. energy savings, financial return and more recently, reduction of carbon emissions. Best practice involves consideration of these metrics on a whole life basis using approaches derived from methodologies such as life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), and life cycle assessment (LCA).
However, obtaining satisfactory (not to mention optimal) choices requires acknowledgement of a number of different performance risks associated with these lifecycle metrics and necessitates the development of approaches to reflect them in the decision-making process.
This paper contributes to the required discussion by examining conventional approaches to assessing building energy retrofits and by identifying and exploring a number of performance risks.
There are three broad strands of performance metrics that are applied to decision-making in building energy retrofits, viz. energy savings, financial return and more recently, reduction of carbon emissions. Best practice involves consideration of these metrics on a whole life basis using approaches derived from methodologies such as life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), and life cycle assessment (LCA).
However, obtaining satisfactory (not to mention optimal) choices requires acknowledgement of a number of different performance risks associated with these lifecycle metrics and necessitates the development of approaches to reflect them in the decision-making process.
This paper contributes to the required discussion by examining conventional approaches to assessing building energy retrofits and by identifying and exploring a number of performance risks.
To respond effectively to the need for a decarbonised economy, the building energy retrofit industry needs to address a number of temporal issues, which affect the calculation of whole life carbon emissions from buildings. This paper... more
To respond effectively to the need for a decarbonised economy, the building energy retrofit industry needs to address a number of temporal issues, which affect the calculation of whole life carbon emissions from buildings. This paper contributes to the required discussion by identifying & exploring different temporal considerations and reviewing current approaches, where they exist, to addressing the issues raised. Examples of time-related issues affecting decisions in this domain, include:
• Trade-offs between current and future impacts - an integral part of decision-making processes in many domains, but difficult questions arise as to whether and how to apply discounting to environmental impacts;
• Temporal homogeneity within life cycle inventories - the aggregation of data along the product’s life cycle, with no allowance for timing, of emissions for example, may result in inaccurate estimates of impact and thereby affect the quality of decision-making;
• Reduction of carbon intensity of centralised energy grids - affects the quality of carbon saving predictions from energy retrofits, which heretofore have used a static model of carbon emissions from centralised energy grids;
• The unknown and possibly unknowable longevity of retrofit solutions installed - many of which are new technology, creates problems when attempting to determine their life cycle impacts.
• Trade-offs between current and future impacts - an integral part of decision-making processes in many domains, but difficult questions arise as to whether and how to apply discounting to environmental impacts;
• Temporal homogeneity within life cycle inventories - the aggregation of data along the product’s life cycle, with no allowance for timing, of emissions for example, may result in inaccurate estimates of impact and thereby affect the quality of decision-making;
• Reduction of carbon intensity of centralised energy grids - affects the quality of carbon saving predictions from energy retrofits, which heretofore have used a static model of carbon emissions from centralised energy grids;
• The unknown and possibly unknowable longevity of retrofit solutions installed - many of which are new technology, creates problems when attempting to determine their life cycle impacts.
There is a requirement for the development of new business models to facilitate, develop and construct the next generation of energy-efficient buildings. The development of such business models necessitates an in-depth understanding of... more
There is a requirement for the development of new business models to facilitate, develop and construct the next generation of energy-efficient buildings. The development of such business models necessitates an in-depth understanding of the energy efficient building marketplace. To date, the literature in this space has been notably fragmented, and there is a dearth of research, which systematically addresses the energy efficiency and building retrofit industry. This paper presents work carried out under the FP7 supported project ‘UMBRELLA’ aimed at analysing and understanding the interactions of various actors within the energy efficient building market. The paper forwards a multi-disciplinary analytical framework through which to understand the multifaceted nature of energy efficiency projects. First, key actors at the different stages of the energy efficiency building projects are identified and characterised. These are then mapped through a mixed- methods approach, including concepts such as social network analysis. Concepts from disparate bodies of literature including value chain; value network/constellation; stakeholder analysis and business ecosystem are then applied to develop a systematic means of assessing value creating strategies and trends amongst identified stakeholders, who are classified according to recognised business ecology typologies, including keystone, hub, flagship and niche stakeholders. A series of in-depth interviews with stakeholders then facilitates the triangulation of research findings. Through a comprehensive mapping of the marketplace through these means, it is aimed to develop an understanding of the drivers and motivations of key actors involved in the energy efficiency industry. In this way, the paper contributes to an understanding of the perspectives of multiple actors in a complex industry, and forwards a novel analytical framework.
A report for the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), offering an up-to-date review of the Environmental Policy Integration literature in both academic and policy debates. The report provides an overview of the theory and... more
A report for the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), offering an up-to-date review of the Environmental Policy Integration literature in both academic and policy debates. The report provides an overview of the theory and conceptual development; methodologies outlined and presents examples of current applications in policy across Europe and internationally.
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A key objective of work package 3 is to understand the drivers and motivations of citizens as they engage with the energy system, most often in their role as consumers. This deliverable reports on work undertaken for Task 3.2 of the work... more
A key objective of work package 3 is to understand the drivers and motivations of citizens as they engage with the energy system, most often in their role as consumers. This deliverable reports on work undertaken for Task 3.2 of the work package and is the result of a detailed desk-based research mapping the types of participation citizens are undertaking as part of the energy transition, whether it be as producers, consumers, or prosumers of energy. The deliverable outlines existing and emerging patterns of consumer engagement around energy, including current demand response initiatives in the EU. An overview of the socio-political status of community energy in fourteen European countries is presented, encompassing broad range of experience across member states and includes an illustrative case study from each country. These case studies represent a diverse range of energy projects and characterise the drivers, limitations, and challenges encountered by those currently engaged in community energy development. In addition, the socio-economic, socio-cultural, and geographic factors involved in CEC formation are examined to develop an in-depth understanding of the factors driving community engagement.
This report should be considered in conjunction with its companion deliverable, D3.9 Energy Governance Analysis and Typology for Communities. Taken together, they provide an overview of the key factors currently impacting CEC formation in Europe and the governance frameworks that are driving it
This report should be considered in conjunction with its companion deliverable, D3.9 Energy Governance Analysis and Typology for Communities. Taken together, they provide an overview of the key factors currently impacting CEC formation in Europe and the governance frameworks that are driving it