Paper short abstract:

This paper addresses the socio-technical ordering of time around wood-fuelled heating systems of detached houses. It analyses the sequences and rhythms that organise the work, the synchronization of this activity with other activities, and the tempo as the subjective experience of time.

Paper long abstract:

This paper presents a study of the socio-technical ordering of time around wood-fuelled heating systems of detached houses. It analyses the sequences and rhythms that organise the work of domestic heating, the synchronization of this activity with other daily activities, and the tempo as the subjective experience of time in these activities. The study is based on a large, pre-existing Finnish free-form diary collection. We suggest that domestic energy technologies become useable and useful through the gradual embedding that involves the temporal organization of everyday life. As a result, technologies that organise time are not only convenient in an invisible way but also act as taken-for-granted coordinates and rhythms of human pursuits in everyday life. In many countries, wood-fuelled heating systems remain a common renewable energy technology in detached houses and stand as one option to lower related carbon emissions. However, the broader use of wood is compromised by time and convenience. A better understanding of the rhythms of heating work can support the promotion of this renewable energy technology.

Keywords: Time, temporality, heating systems, housework, household consumption, renewable energy