Work

Household demand flexibility during crises: the role of meta-services

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: As the energy transition accelerates and societies face increasing disruptions, the need for household demand flexibility becomes more critical. This article advances the understanding of demand flexibility through a practice-theoretical perspective, examining how household-energy demand adapts during crises. Based on group interviews with Finnish households living in single-family homes, we explore how demand flexibility occurs at the level of meta-services—thermal comfort, cleanliness, and control—during an energy crisis. We argue that distinguishing between meta-services and social practices provides new insights into the dynamics through which demand adapts to crises. Our findings highlight the significance of meta-services as a key dimension in shaping demand adaptation, suggesting that policy responses should extend beyond conventional demand flexibility strategies to address the broader dynamics of household-energy use.

Source: Sustainability Science Practice and Policy

DOI: 10.1080/15487733.2025.2555659

Authors: Jenny Rinkinen, Kaisa Matschoss

Institutions: Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology, University of Helsinki

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Education and Sustainability

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $778