Heat comfort and practice theory: Understanding everyday routines of energy consumption

 

This paper has both a theoretical and a practical idea and content. The theoretical aim is to use and develop practice theory from Schatzki, Reckwitz and Warde to be more applicable in understanding everyday routines. The theoretical development will focus on how routines exist in close association with the physical structures and technologies that are part of the practices, and also focus on understanding both the collective nature of practices and the internal distribution of differences within practices. The practical aim of the paper is to get a better understanding of the routines for regulating indoor climate. Heating in homes accounts for a substantial amount of energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The actual energy consumption is determined by the efficiency of the equipment as well as the way it is used. However, up till now not much research has focused on the everyday practices of ventilating and regulating the heat. Analysis in this paper builds on qualitative interviews with households living in identical houses, where those using the least energy for heating use one third of those using the most do. Focus is on describing similarities and differences in practices as well as understanding reasons for both similarities and differences.