Energy behaviours in non-domestic buildings

November 2012: As part of the Government’s release of it’s new Energy Efficiency Strategy earlier this week, an accompanying research paper published is of interest in the London context. What are the factors influencing energy behaviours and decision-making in the non-domestic sector? examines how energy efficiency take up could be enhanced in buildings common in the capital such as retail, schools, government estate, sports, public offices, heritage and entertainment, healthcare, transport and communications.  There is not much research in this area and pages 6-11 of the report make particularly interesting reading, setting out the 35 conclusions from the study on why the use of energy is not taken more seriously by such organisations, leading to a common complaint in London of ‘why are the lights of so many offices on at night when no-one is there’?