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    The impact of domestic water user cultures on water efficiency interventions in the South East of England: Lessons for water demand management.

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    Publication date
    2012-01-11
    Author
    Knamiller, C.
    Supervisor
    Sharp, Liz
    Hopkinson, Peter G.
    Keyword
    Domestic water use
    Water metering
    Efficiency
    Perceptions
    Behaviour
    Change
    Socio-technical systems
    Water demand management
    Rights
    Creative Commons License
    The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.
    Institution
    University of Bradford
    Department
    Department of Geography and Environmental Science
    Awarded
    2011
    
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    Abstract
    The need for a more sustainable approach to water consumption has increasingly gained attention in the last decade. The domestic sector accounts for over half of abstracted water in the UK and, as such, has become a major target for water efficiency interventions. Current research and water efficiency interventions are dominated by a positivist approach, focusing on a limited range of factors that can be quantitatively measured. This thesis questions the dominant approach and argues that a more holistic overview of water efficiency can be achieved through the consideration of socio-technical and behavioural theories. Taking a more constructivist approach, this research draws on four theories from socio-technical and behavioural fields and combines them to create a framework for the analysis of water efficiency interventions. The framework is applied to two case studies, exploring water users¿ perceptions of water, water supply, personal water use, and their responses to the water efficiency interventions. The case studies were selected to provide examples of current mainstream approaches to water demand management. Research methods used included semi-structured interviews and observation. The research findings support the argument that the current dominant approach to domestic water efficiency interventions is limited and, in some cases, ineffectual. Issues of trust, knowledge, motivation and the relationships between water users and water companies were raised. The thesis concludes that the use of a constructivist perspective could help to provide a more effective approach to understanding and improving water demand management.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10454/5329
    Type
    Thesis
    Qualification name
    PhD
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      Issues of trust, fairness and efficacy: a qualitative study of information provision for newly metered households in England.

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