Fuel poverty of low-income households in

Vienna/Austria Drivers of fuel poverty in the context of the energy

cultures framework

Sylvia MandlVienna University of

Economics and Business

Advances in fuel poverty research and practice: a pan-European early career researcher symposium

20th September 2016, Manchester

BackgroundKey interests:• Which energy cultures can be identified among

low-income households of Vienna?o What are the households differences regarding their

energy practices, norms and material cultures?

o To what extend is the „energy cultures“ approach applicable for the analysis of drivers of fuel poverty?

Methodology:• Secondary analysis of qualitative and

quantitative (energy) data on low-income households of Vienna.

DataNELA

(2008-2011)PILOT PROJECT

against fuel poverty (2012-2014)• living conditions and daily energy

practices of low-income households in Vienna

• grounded theory approach

• 50 qualitative interviews in low-income households

• Key topics: Energy practices, energy saving/efficiency, energy costs and financial management, living conditions

• Practical and implementation-oriented continuation of NELA

• i.a. quantitative survey in Austrian low-income/fuel poor households (Austria: n= 402, Vienna: n=177)

• Key topics: living conditions, ventilation/heating behaviour, appliances and lighting, energy consumption, energy burdens

Energy cultures approach

• Stephenson et al. (2010/2015): Differences in the way energy is used result from interactions between norms, material culture and energy practices

First insights• “knowledge on saving energy” and “energy prices” (e.g. of

different heating systems) not in the model but also important for the analysis of energy behaviour of fp households

• Many important drivers of fuel poverty subsumed under the heading of “material culture” (e.g. appliances, living conditions, energy efficiency) – more precise differentiation needed for fp

• Analysing different energy practices of fuel poor households bears the risk shifting the responsibility for their situation on to this vulnerable group alone

• Overall - interesting tool for better understanding multiple drivers of fuel poverty -> BUT focus has to shift from the inherent objective of saving energy to improving living conditions.

Thank you for your attention!contact: sylvia.mandl@wu.ac.at

photos: © Laurent Zieglerimage energy cultures: www.energycultures.org

NELA & Pilot project against fuel poverty were financed within the research and technology programme New Energies 2020 of the Climate and Energy Fund (KLI.EN) and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).