School of Geography and the Environment

Research Interests

Sarah has a first degree in Ecological Science from Edinburgh University. She joined the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) in 1995 and gained her doctorate there, looking at social, behavioural and educational aspects of energy use. Her research interests centre on how people learn about energy and the environment and apply what they have learned, and on how technologies are adopted and adapted in practice. From 2007-10 she held a Research Councils UK Energy Programme interdisciplinary fellowship to research into domestic energy feedback, in relation to the development of 'smart metering'. She is a research fellow of Green Templeton College.

Current Projects

SUPERGEN- HiDEF (Highly Distributed Energy Futures). The HiDEF consortium is developing approaches, technologies and policies for an electricity system that delivers sustainability and security through the widespread deployment of distributed energy resource and new regulation, policy and market designs. Funded by the EPSRC.

EVALOC (Evaluation of the impacts, effectiveness and success of DECC-funded low carbon communities). The project aims to assess and explain changes in energy use within six English and Welsh communities that are funded by the Low Carbon Communities Challenge. We are taking an action research approach, working with the communities to develop and test 'toolkits' for monitoring, evaluation and communication; also monitoring, modelling and mapping the impacts of DECC interventions on energy consumption. Funded by the ESRC.

ADEPT (Advanced Dynamic Energy Pricing and Tariffs). The need for dynamic electricity tariffs is growing, with growth in variable and embedded generation, the introduction of plug-in electric vehicles, decreasing national generating capacity, and the prospect of short-term load-shedding by suspending low priority consumption in both commercial and domestic sectors. This project addresses the question of how complicated a dynamic electricity tariff should be, recognising that technical systems are designed and implemented by experts, but must be accepted and operated by non-experts. Funded by the EPSRC.

Teaching

Sarah contributes to the teaching of the Energy module for the ECI Master's course in Environmental Change and Management, and to the new MSc course in Sustainable Urban Design at the Department for Continuing Education.

Selected Publications

• Gupta R and Darby S (2011) Action research approach for gaining, and providing, feedback on domestic energy use to understand occupant behaviour, perceptions and expectations. Proceedings, Energy and People: Futures, complexity and challenges. 21-22 September, Oxford
• Darby, S., Anderson, W. and White, V. (2011) Large-scale testing of new technology: some lessons from the UK smart metering and feedback trials. Proceedings, European Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy summer study, paper 7-524
• Darby, S.(2011) The ‘time’ dimension of electricity, options for the householder and implications for policy. Proceedings, World Renewable Energy Congress, Linköping, Sweden, May 8-11
• Darby, S.(2011) Load management at home: advantages and drawbacks of some ‘active demand side' options. Proceedings, 2nd International Conference in Microgeneration and Related Technologies in Buildings, ‘Microgen ‘11’, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, April 4-6
• Pyrko, J. and Darby, S.(2011) Conditions of behavioural changes towards efficient energy use - a comparative study between Sweden and the United Kingdom. Energy Efficiency 4 (3), 223-236. DOI 10.1007/s12053-010-9099-x
• Darby, S. (2010) Literature review for the Energy Demand Research Project. Ofgem (Office of Gas and Electricity Markets), London.
• Darby, S. (2010) Communicating energy demand: measurement, display and the language of things. In, Whitmarsh, L., O'Neill, S. and Lorenzoni, I. (2010) Engaging the Public with Climate Change: Behaviour Change and Communication. Earthscan. 288 pp. ISBN 9781844079285.
• Darby, S. (2010) Smart metering: what potential for householder engagement? Building Research and Information, 38(5): 442-457.
• Darby, S. (2010) Silent, hidden and essential: tacit knowledge in energy transitions. Paper for conference on 'Energy transitions in an interdependent world: what and where are the future social science research agendas?' Sussex Energy Group, February 25-26.
• Darby, S. (2009) Literature review: real-time energy display functionality. Appendix 3 in Anderson, W. and White, V. (2009) Exploring the functionality of real-time home energy displays. Report to the Energy Saving Trust. Centre for Sustainable Energy, Bristol.
• Darby, S. (2009) Implementing Article 13 of the Energy Services Directive and defining the purpose of new metering infrastructures. Proceedings, European Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy summer study, paper 2262.
• Parag, Y. and Darby, S. (2009) Consumer - supplier - government triangular relations: Rethinking the UK policy path for carbon emissions reduction from the UK residential sector. Energy Policy, 37(10): 3984-3992.
• Darby, S. (2008) Why, what, when, how, where and who? Developing UK policy on metering, billing and energy display devices. In, Proceedings of ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Asilomar, CA. August 17-22, 2008.
• Darby, S. (2008) Energy feedback in buildings - improving the infrastructure for demand reduction. Building Research and Information, 36(5): 499-508.
• Darby, S. (2007) Enough is as good as a feast - sufficiency as policy. Proceedings of the European Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy 2007 Summer Study, France.
• Darby, S. (2006) Social learning, household energy practice and public policy: lessons from an energy-conscious village. Energy Policy, 34: 2929-2940.
• Darby, S. (2006) The effectiveness of feedback on energy consumption. A review for DEFRA of the literature on metering, billing and direct displays. Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford.
• Boardman, B., Darby, S., Killip, G., Hinnells, M., Jardine, C.N., Palmer, J. and Sinden, G. (2005) 40% House. Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford.
• Darby, S. (2003) Awareness, action and feedback in domestic energy use. Unpublished D.Phil. thesis, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford.
• Darby, S. (2003) Making sense of energy advice. Proceedings of the European Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Paper 6, 157.
• Boardman, B. and Darby, S. (2000) Effective advice: energy efficiency and the disadvantaged. A report for the Electricity Association Fuel Poverty Task Force. Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford.
• Darby, S. (2000) Making it obvious: designing feedback into energy consumption. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Household Appliances and Lighting. Italian Association of Energy Economists / EC-SAVE programme.
• Darby, S. (1999) Energy advice - what is it worth? Proceedings of the European Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, III.05.
• Green, J., Darby, S., Maby, C. and Boardman, B. (1998) Advice into action: an evaluation of the effectiveness of energy advice to low-income households. EAGA Charitable Trust.