Royston, Sarah (2014) Dragon-breath and snow-melt: know-how, experience and heat flows in the home. Energy Research and Social Science, 2. pp. 148-158. ISSN 2214‐6296

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Abstract

People manage heat flows in their homes through diverse skilful engagements, including interactions
with a wide range of materials that help to generate heat, move it around, or prevent its movement.
Using these strategies, we try to ensure that heat is where it is needed, when it is needed, and can also try
to minimise its wastage (heat-out-of place and heat-out-of-time). However, the practical knowledge or
know-how used in managing these thermal flows has received little attention to date, despite its relevance
to topical debates on energy consumption. This paper explores how experience-based know-how is used
in monitoring and managing heat flows in the home. I also consider three processes that stimulate the
development of new know-how: changes in the life-course, in material arrangements, and in shared
understandings. These themes are illustrated using quotes from various sources, such as web forums and
advice sites. Finally, I consider how these ideas relate to wider theories of experience and know-how, and
offer some reflections on what this approach might mean for research, policy and practice on sustainable
energy use.

Item Type:	Article
Schools and Departments:	School of Global Studies > International Relations
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General) H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Depositing User:	Sarah Royston
Date Deposited:	05 Feb 2019 11:46
Last Modified:	05 Feb 2019 11:46
URI:	http://srodev.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/81757

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