Shedding light on domestic energy use: A cross-discipline study of lighting homes

Despite the availability of compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs and significant efforts to drive down energy usage for domestic lighting, demand stubbornly continues to increase. To explore the underlying causes, this paper looks at lighting demand from a socio-technical perspective drawing on recent in-depth interview data. This research reveals that use of lighting relates as much to establishing a mood as clarity of vision; a desire to have stylish interiors can over-ride environmental principles, and lighting practices are heavily influenced by the presentation of household lighting in the media. It is argued that these findings demonstrate that we need new designs for lighting technologies which incorporate low energy sources with a flexible approach to lighting involving novel ways of light distribution. This paper concludes that support of the media should be enlisted to demonstrate that style does not have to be compromised for environmentally friendly lighting schemes. © 2006 RICS, The Bartlett School, UCL and the contributors First published.