Making Cold Homes Warmer – The Effect of Energy Efficiency Improvements in Low-income Homes

Author: Geoffrey Milne
Organisation:
Environmental Change Unit
University of Oxford
Date: 1997
Location: UK

Domestic energy efficiency improvements are undertaken with the intention of reducing energy demand and consumption, since less fuel is needed to heat the house to a comfortable level. In doing so, it is assumed that this will reduce the amount households spend on fuel and deliver more affordable warmth. However, some of the ‘gains’ may be offset by a general increase in internal temperatures following improvements as householders use the monetary savings to fund warmer homes, a phenomenon known as ‘temperature takeback’.

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