What matters? Unlocking householders’ flexibility towards cooling automation in India

Olufolahan O. Osunmuyiwa; Andrew D. Peacock

doi:10.1016/j.eist.2023.100704

What matters? Unlocking householders’ flexibility towards cooling automation in India

Olufolahan O. Osunmuyiwa, Andrew D. Peacock

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2 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

In emerging economies like India, where air conditioners are projected to triple by 2050 — mostly from household use — demand response programs such as cooling automation have gained currency as a suitable approach to address peak electricity from cooling demand. Environmentally commoning/intentional communities are classic contexts in which flexible cooling consumption might be easily realised. Utilising materialist theory and a six-month cooling automation trial and workshops with twenty households in an intentional community in South India, this study explores factors that shape householders’ pliability or rejection of cooling automation. Results reveal that while commoning identity plays a significant role in householders' flexibility towards automation, extreme heat creates a clash between householders' environmental beliefs and comfort needs, altering their response to automation. We conclude by discussing the theoretical implications arising from these findings and suggest how utilities could respond to these dynamics to foster a transition to a low-carbon energy system.

Original language	English
Article number	100704
Journal	Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions
Volume	47
Early online date	16 Feb 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2023.100704
Publication status	Published - Jun 2023

Keywords

Air conditioner
Cooling automation
Demand response
Hot-humid climates
Intentional communities
User behaviour

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
Social Sciences (miscellaneous)

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title = "What matters? Unlocking householders{\textquoteright} flexibility towards cooling automation in India",

abstract = "In emerging economies like India, where air conditioners are projected to triple by 2050 — mostly from household use — demand response programs such as cooling automation have gained currency as a suitable approach to address peak electricity from cooling demand. Environmentally commoning/intentional communities are classic contexts in which flexible cooling consumption might be easily realised. Utilising materialist theory and a six-month cooling automation trial and workshops with twenty households in an intentional community in South India, this study explores factors that shape householders{\textquoteright} pliability or rejection of cooling automation. Results reveal that while commoning identity plays a significant role in householders' flexibility towards automation, extreme heat creates a clash between householders' environmental beliefs and comfort needs, altering their response to automation. We conclude by discussing the theoretical implications arising from these findings and suggest how utilities could respond to these dynamics to foster a transition to a low-carbon energy system.",

keywords = "Air conditioner, Cooling automation, Demand response, Hot-humid climates, Intentional communities, User behaviour",

author = "Osunmuyiwa, {Olufolahan O.} and Peacock, {Andrew D.}",

note = "Funding Information: The results presented in this manuscript is part of the DAC project funded by UK Innovate project number 40974 . We are grateful for the support from the Swedish research council Formas through the grant nr. 2020–01199 that funded Osunmuyiwa's time in the project. The authors acknowledge the support extended by Ms Tara Pinheiro Gibson, Mr Michael Shaw, Mr Martin Scherfler and Mr Jaswanth Yaddala for their valuable insights and logistical support during the data collection process in the case community. We thank the two anonymous reviewers who provided constructive comments on the manuscript. We also thank Ona Ilozumba and Helene Ahlborg for comments that helped steer the draft version of this article in the right direction. Any opinions, findings and conclusions expressed in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Heriot-Watt University and/IMIT Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Author(s)",

year = "2023",

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language = "English",

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PY - 2023/6

Y1 - 2023/6

N2 - In emerging economies like India, where air conditioners are projected to triple by 2050 — mostly from household use — demand response programs such as cooling automation have gained currency as a suitable approach to address peak electricity from cooling demand. Environmentally commoning/intentional communities are classic contexts in which flexible cooling consumption might be easily realised. Utilising materialist theory and a six-month cooling automation trial and workshops with twenty households in an intentional community in South India, this study explores factors that shape householders’ pliability or rejection of cooling automation. Results reveal that while commoning identity plays a significant role in householders' flexibility towards automation, extreme heat creates a clash between householders' environmental beliefs and comfort needs, altering their response to automation. We conclude by discussing the theoretical implications arising from these findings and suggest how utilities could respond to these dynamics to foster a transition to a low-carbon energy system.

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What matters? Unlocking householders’ flexibility towards cooling automation in India

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