Anders Rhiger Hansen, PhD, MSc in Sociology
- Evidence suggests that residential heat consumption varies largely due to the behaviour of occupants when taking account of the buildings they live in. The objective of my PhD project is to investigate the variation in heat consumption between different types of households. Using econometric modelling, I examine how social, behavioural and demographic characteristics contribute to understanding the variation in residential heat consumption. Further, by employing sociological theories, I look for explanations for the differences between households in relation to heat consumption. I do that by looking at how structural changes in society affects the heat consumption and what motivates occupants to consume more or less; for example what role do economic interest and embodied routines play? For the study, I use panel data with extensive information on households and their heat consumption.
Line Valdorff Madsen, PhD, MSc in Geography and Planning Studies
- With inspiration from geographical approaches and ethnographical methods I examine user practices, in relation to residential energy consumption, and how these practices are related to everyday life routines and notions of comfort and home. The PhD project is a qualitative study examining how users practice and perceive energy consumption and comfort in a specified part of Danish housing. The aim is to understand users energy consumption, within a framework of practice theory, to gain a deeper knowledge of how users consume energy and why.
Mette Hove Jacobsen, PhD, MSc in Sociology
- Using quantitative sociological methods I examine consumption clusters based on systematic differences in households’ possession of electrical appliances and practices related to these. I analyse the development of different types of consumption patterns, followed by analysing cross-time changes in these patterns over the last 20 years. By this the PhD provides knowledge on how electrical appliances are used, and how it coheres with differences in households’ demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. This will contribute to a greater understanding of households’ electricity consumption.
Pernille V. K. Andersen, PhD, Master of Arts (MA) in Learning and Innovative Changes
- Falling within WP2, the empirical work of my PhD concerns communication between the various stakeholders in a building project, where energy saving is part of the agenda. Theoretically and methodologically my approach is that of Design Anthropology. I will be investigating the potential role of material objects as communication tools and bridging objects in multi-stakeholder settings. The aim is to be able to point out ways to facilitate knowledge creation across disciplines, with tools and techniques developed within the frame of Design Anthropology and Participatory Design.
Kim Trangbæk Jønsson, PhD Scholar, Msc in engineering (indoor environmental and energy engineering)
- This project will deal with dynamic facades in relation to the user. The study will be conducted as field experiments on residential flats, and the study will consist of both qualitative and quantitative measurements. The field experiments are used to investigate both communication sources to the user as well as automatic control strategies for the dynamic façade. This is to get a better understanding of the user in relation to dynamic facades and to improve the dynamic facades according to the user’s needs. The study is focused on what effect the dynamic façade will have on both the energy consumption and the indoor environment.
Daniel Pihl, PhD Scholar, MSc in Technology (Construction Management and Informatics)
- There is an increased interest within the construction sector on the importance of user behaviour in reducing energy consumption in residences. Methods to engage building users are used in refurbishment projects as well as new construction projects. This study aims at investigating engagement of building users in design and planning processes related to projects where low energy consumption is on the agenda. Based on a socio-technical approach to design and construction processes, I follow translations and negotiations between stakeholders regarding user behaviour. I focus on how changing sociomaterial settings are (re)shaping expectations of user behavior in design activities and user participation activities; and how building users and designers recurrently interpret materials as accentuating certain behaviours in the buildings. The study contributes to discussions on how to integrate building user behaviour in design of construction projects.