Lifestyle and quality of nature in urban spaces

Interdisciplinary research project, partly funded by RealDania. Projekt leader: Lars Kjerulf Petersen , project particpants: Anna Bodil Hald, Anne Jensen, Bernd Münier and Bo Normander m.fl. Project period: 2009-2010.

The purpose of this project is 1) to investigate the interdependencies between lifestyles of urban populations and the properties of urban green space; and 2) to investigate how urban planning can integrate knowledge of these interdependencies in further development of urban green space.

Organic food - Between politics and consumption

A sociological study of the interplay between citizen and consumer perspectives on organic food.

Part of the integrated project CONCEPTS : The viability and stability of demand for organic food products at the household level. The project is undertaken as a PhD project by Anne Holst Andersen  with Mette Jensen as supervisor.

Based on a qualitative study of how citizens and consumers relate to organic food, the project examines how and to what extent political attitudes and values are manifested in everyday life consumer practices and what this means – in relation to consumption as well as to politics. Read more...

Use of wood burning stoves

Work package in the integrated project WOODUSE: Residential wood combustion and the interaction between technology, user and environment. Work package leader: Lars Kjerulf Petersen. Project now concluded, see:

• Petersen, Lars Kjerulf (2008) Autonomy and proximity in household heating practices – the case of wood-burning stoves . Journal of Environmental Politics and Planning, 10 (4): 423-438.
• Petersen, Lars Kjerulf & Martinsen, Louise (2008) Brændefyring i hjemmet – praksis, holdninger og regulering. [Domestic wood combustion - practices, perceptions and regulation] Faglig rapport fra DMU nr. 668. Danmarks Miljøundersøgelser, Aarhus Universitet. (summary)

Wood combustion has since the middle of the 1990's increased as source of domestic heating in Denmark causing increased pollution with particles. This work package investigates the socio-cultural aspects of use of wood burning stoves. What motivates the acquisition and use of a stove and how is it integrated into household practices? Interviews have been performed and other work packages conduct surveys. Read more

Societal barriers for hydrogen

Work package in the integrated project HYSCENE : Environmental and Health Impact Assessment of Scenarios for Renewable Energy Systems with Hydrogen. Work package leader: Lars Kjerulf Petersen. Project now concluded

This work package investigates the societal context for transition to an energy system based on renewables with hydrogen as energy carrier. In order to identify socio-cultural barriers for changes in energy supply the study focuses on the relationship between lifestyle and energy consumption and on processes of technological transition. Read More.