Darwin renters face barriers to cutting power use, study finds
Charles Darwin University research says renters and lower-income households have fewer options to reduce cooling-related electricity use.
By Tom Brennan · Health & Medicine Correspondent
3 min read
Renters in Darwin and Palmerston are less able than homeowners to cut household energy use because rental rules and upfront costs limit what they can change, according to a Charles Darwin University study. The findings matter in the Northern Territory, where air conditioning is a major household expense and a major part of electricity demand.
The study, titled “The efficiency divide: Housing constraints on energy-saving practices in Darwin, Australia,” was published in Energy Research & Social Science. CDU said researchers surveyed residents in Darwin and Palmerston about electricity use, attitudes toward renewable energy and access to energy-saving options.
CDU said residential properties account for 26% of electricity consumption worldwide and produce 17% of global carbon dioxide emissions. In the Northern Territory, the university said air conditioning makes up about 45% of home electricity use because of the tropical climate.
The survey found that 96% of respondents owned and used air conditioning, which CDU said reflects how central cooling is to daily life in the region. The research also found a split between support for renewable energy in principle and the ability or willingness to pay more for it.
Among low-income households, about 84% agreed or strongly agreed that renewable energy was needed to address climate change, according to the study. More than half of that group disagreed or strongly disagreed with paying more for renewable energy, CDU said.
Middle-income households showed similar patterns, according to CDU. Among high-income respondents, more than 80% agreed renewable energy was essential, and about 68% were willing to pay more for it.
Tenure shapes energy choices
Lead author Riasad Amin, a Ph.D. candidate at CDU’s Northern Institute, said home ownership strongly affected what households could do. The study found 34% of respondents owned their homes, while the rest were renters.
Amin said renters usually have fewer chances to add efficiency upgrades, alter cooling systems or buy home energy technologies. In Darwin’s climate, he said, those differences affect the practical choices households have for controlling power use.
The survey found 47% of renters were willing to pay more for renewable energy, compared with 70% of homeowners, CDU said. Researchers also examined seven specific energy-saving practices.
Renters were more likely than homeowners to turn off appliances, according to the study. Homeowners were more likely to report the other six practices, including washing clothes in cold water, using efficient appliances and setting air conditioners between 24°C and 26°C.
Amin said renters and lower-income households continue to face barriers in getting efficient appliances and making improvements to dwellings. He linked the pattern to international evidence that landlord-tenant incentives, limited access to capital and weaker rental standards can restrict investment in efficiency.
Amin said policy programs focused only on saving money may miss environmental motivations, while programs based only on moral responsibility can leave out households that lack the means to act. He said international evidence points to programs that pair environmental goals with direct benefits such as better comfort, steadier energy costs and more household control over energy use.
This story draws on original reporting from Phys.org.