Hamilton, I G; Summerfield, A J; Lowe, R; Ruyssevelt, P; Elwell, C A and Oreszczyn, T (2013) Energy epidemiology: A new approach to end-use energy demand research. Building Research & Information, 41(4), pp. 482-497. ISSN 0961-3218
Abstract
The call for action to transform the built environment and address the threats of climate change has been clearly made. However, to support the development, implementation and on-going evaluation of energy demand policy, a strong evidence base is needed to identify associations and establish underlying causes behind outcomes and variations in end-use energy demand within the population. A new approach to end-use energy demand research is presented which is founded on the interdisciplinary health sciences research framework of epidemiology, along with the establishment of a research centre. A case is made that through an energy epidemiology approach a strong, population-level, empirically based research foundation can be advanced. Energy epidemiology is a whole-system approach that focuses on empirical research and provides a methodological framework for building physicists, engineers, sociologists and economists to engage in interdisciplinary work. The adaptation of the epidemiological approach to end-use energy demand studies will provide the means to observe and describe the trends and patterns of energy demand, to undertake and contextualize interventional studies, and to establish strong associations between factors that lead to an energy demand-related outcome or event. Such an approach would strengthen the evidence base to inform policy decisions and evaluate past intervention programmes or regulatory actions.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | buildings; built environment; energy demand; epidemiology; evidence base; interdisciplinary; public policy; research |
| Index terms: | programme, adaptation, engineer, science, energy epidemiology, research centre, energy demand, climate change, implementation, public policy, evidence, built environment, population, variation |
| Subjects: | contractual condition, infrastructure and transport systems, project controls, demography, climate science, specialized education, user focus, profession, construction type, evaluation and assessment methods, data collection methods, contractual arrangements, energy systems, public policy |
| Topics: | Contract Administration, Time Control, Education, Urban Studies, Design Practice, Roles and Professions, Governance, Sustainability, Procurement, Construction Technology, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here