The what, why, and how of changing cooling energy consumption in India’s urban households
India’s urbanising middle class is at the brink of an unprecedented increase in residential cooling demand, yet little is understood about the dynamics of changing cooling consumption. Based on empirical analyses, this research examines a set of fundamental questions around India’s cooling transitio...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abecbc |
| _version_ | 1827870275056697344 |
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| author | Radhika Khosla Anna Agarwal Neelanjan Sircar Deepaboli Chatterjee |
| author_facet | Radhika Khosla Anna Agarwal Neelanjan Sircar Deepaboli Chatterjee |
| author_sort | Radhika Khosla |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | India’s urbanising middle class is at the brink of an unprecedented increase in residential cooling demand, yet little is understood about the dynamics of changing cooling consumption. Based on empirical analyses, this research examines a set of fundamental questions around India’s cooling transition. How is cooling conceptualised and what cooling strategies do households use? How, when and why are people purchasing and using their air conditioners (ACs)? Who is buying energy-efficient ACs? Is cooling consumption gendered? Using descriptive statistics, machine learning, and regression analysis to characterize AC usage, we examine a sample dataset (n = 2092) that is representative of areas in Delhi with above average AC penetration. We unpack perceptions of thermal comfort, and characterize the conditions under which households have greater AC use and make energy efficient purchase choices. AC usage is found to be a function of household habits (such as exposure to ACs in the workplace or schools), structural factors, and socio demographic features. While most ACs are in the middle energy-efficiency range, preferences, behaviours and awareness around energy efficiency are found to affect AC use as well as influence the purchase of more efficient ACs. Notable gender differences are observed, and women are found to be less involved in decision-making around cooling appliances and less aware of the technical know-how or energy-efficient schemes. Policy recommendations for a low-carbon cooling trajectory are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:54:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-40bffbd2388a4e77a01902c917197ef4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:54:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-40bffbd2388a4e77a01902c917197ef42023-08-09T14:57:16ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262021-01-0116404403510.1088/1748-9326/abecbcThe what, why, and how of changing cooling energy consumption in India’s urban householdsRadhika Khosla0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7730-8041Anna Agarwal1Neelanjan Sircar2Deepaboli Chatterjee3Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford , Oxford, United Kingdom; Centre for Policy Research , New Delhi, IndiaCentre for Policy Research , New Delhi, IndiaCentre for Policy Research , New Delhi, India; Department of Political Science , Ashoka University, Sonepath, Haryana, IndiaCentre for Policy Research , New Delhi, IndiaIndia’s urbanising middle class is at the brink of an unprecedented increase in residential cooling demand, yet little is understood about the dynamics of changing cooling consumption. Based on empirical analyses, this research examines a set of fundamental questions around India’s cooling transition. How is cooling conceptualised and what cooling strategies do households use? How, when and why are people purchasing and using their air conditioners (ACs)? Who is buying energy-efficient ACs? Is cooling consumption gendered? Using descriptive statistics, machine learning, and regression analysis to characterize AC usage, we examine a sample dataset (n = 2092) that is representative of areas in Delhi with above average AC penetration. We unpack perceptions of thermal comfort, and characterize the conditions under which households have greater AC use and make energy efficient purchase choices. AC usage is found to be a function of household habits (such as exposure to ACs in the workplace or schools), structural factors, and socio demographic features. While most ACs are in the middle energy-efficiency range, preferences, behaviours and awareness around energy efficiency are found to affect AC use as well as influence the purchase of more efficient ACs. Notable gender differences are observed, and women are found to be less involved in decision-making around cooling appliances and less aware of the technical know-how or energy-efficient schemes. Policy recommendations for a low-carbon cooling trajectory are discussed.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abecbcIndiacoolingenergy policyclimate change mitigationurban transitionsdeveloping countries |
| spellingShingle | Radhika Khosla Anna Agarwal Neelanjan Sircar Deepaboli Chatterjee The what, why, and how of changing cooling energy consumption in India’s urban households Environmental Research Letters India cooling energy policy climate change mitigation urban transitions developing countries |
| title | The what, why, and how of changing cooling energy consumption in India’s urban households |
| title_full | The what, why, and how of changing cooling energy consumption in India’s urban households |
| title_fullStr | The what, why, and how of changing cooling energy consumption in India’s urban households |
| title_full_unstemmed | The what, why, and how of changing cooling energy consumption in India’s urban households |
| title_short | The what, why, and how of changing cooling energy consumption in India’s urban households |
| title_sort | what why and how of changing cooling energy consumption in india s urban households |
| topic | India cooling energy policy climate change mitigation urban transitions developing countries |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abecbc |
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