Dr Michael Peters

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Lecturer in Energy Policy
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School Director of Recruitment and Admissions
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Representative of the University of Reading's membership in the UK Parliamentary and Scientific Committee.
Areas of interest
Dr Peters's expertise and research interests include:
- sustainable energy management (with special interest in understanding the interface between human/behavioural dimensions and technology)
- community-based carbon reduction
- attitudes and behaviour of 'energy consumers'
- waste minimisation
- corporate environmental performance
- environmental policy tools.
Background
Michael is Lecturer in Energy Policy in the School of the Built Environment, University of Reading. He is an environmental scientist with over 15 years' experience of academic inquiry in sustainable energy and waste management issues including extensive use of social research techniques.
His research and teaching focus on the design and delivery of effective policy strategies for engaging people individually and collectively in the transition to a more sustainable low carbon future.Tackling the complexities of climate change locally in communities is a special focus for his work.
Michael has proven leadership skills involving the development and management of a wide range of academic projects, dissemination events and consultancy studies. He was lead editor for a major volume Low Carbon Communities (Edward Elgar Ltd) published in September 2010, which combines theoretical and practical perspectives on community sustainability action. He is dedicated to the pursuit of policy-relevant and policy-influencing research, and to the maintenance of robust academic standards.
His PhD was conferred in 2001, focusing on the environmental performance of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Academic qualifications
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PhD, University of East Anglia, 2001
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BSc Rural Environment Studies, University of London, Wye College, 1997.
Professional bodies/affiliations
- Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (elected in 2010)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (since 2015).
Publications
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Sonet, U.
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Klufallah, M.
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Peters, M.
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Dixon, T.
ORCID: 0000-0002-4513-6337 (2021) Indicators of the public participation exercise for designing public parks in Malaysia: a systematic review. Sustainability , 13 (21). ISSN: 2071-1050 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su132112119
- Alsharif, M. , Peters, M. , Dixon, T. (2020) Designing and implementing effective campus sustainability in Saudi Arabian universities: an assessment of drivers and barriers in a rational choice theoretical context. Sustainability , 12 (12). ISSN: 2071-1050 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12125096
- Carragher, V. and Peters, M. (2018) Engaging an ecovillage and measuring its ecological footprint. Local Environment , 23 (8). pp. 861-878. ISSN: 1354-9839 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2018.1481021
- Peters, M. , Fudge, S. , High-Pippert, A. , Carragher, V. , Hoffman, S. (2018) Community solar initiatives in the United States of America: comparisons with – and lessons for – the UK and other European countries. Energy Policy , 121 pp. 355-364. ISSN: 0301-4215 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2018.06.022
- Carragher, V. , O'Regan, B. , Peters, M. , Moles, R. (2018) Novel resource saving interventions: the case of modelling and storytelling. Local Environment , 23 (5). pp. 518-535. ISSN: 1354-9839 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2018.1434493
- Medas, M. , Cheshire, D. , Cripps, A. , Connaughton, J. , Peters, M. (2016) Uncertainty, BIM and whole life environmental impacts of building services.
- Fudge, S. , Peters, M. , Woodman, B. (2016) Local authorities as niche actors: the case of energy governance in the UK. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions , 18 (1). pp. 1-17. ISSN: 2210-4224 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2015.06.004
- Medas, M. , Cheshire, D. , Cripps, A. , Connaughton, J. , Peters, M. (2015) Towards BIM-integrated, resource-efficient building services.
- Sinclair, P. , Peters, M. , Fudge, S. (2014) Introducing "ecoputation": a universal systems design process. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews , 46 pp. 311-330. ISSN: 1364-0321 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.11.057
- Fudge, S. , Peters, M. , Hoffman, S. , Wehrmeyer, W. , eds. (2013) The global challenge of encouraging sustainable living: opportunities, barriers, policy and practice. Edward Elgar , Cheltenham. pp 288. ISBN: 9781781003749
- Fudge, S. and Peters, M. (2013) The national dialogue on behaviour change in UK climate policy: some observations on responsibility, agency and political dimensions. In: Crocker, R. and Lehmann, S. , (eds.) Motivating Change: sustainable design and behaviour in the Built Environment. Earthscan Series on Sustainable Design Earthscan , Oxford. pp. 71-92. ISBN: 9780415829779
- Peters, M. , Fudge, S. , Hoffman, S. (2013) The persistent challenge of encouraging public participation in the low-carbon transition. Carbon Management , 4 (4). pp. 373-375. ISSN: 1758-3004 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4155/cmt.13.32
- Hoffman, S. , Fudge, S. , Pawlisch, L. , High-Pippert, A. , Peters, M. , Haskard, J. (2013) Public values and community energy: lessons from the US and UK. Sustainability , 5 (4). pp. 1747-1763. ISSN: 2071-1050 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su5041747
- Peters, M. , Sinclair, P. , Fudge, S. (2012) The potential for community groups to promote sustainable living . The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences , 6 (8). pp. 35-54. ISSN: 1833-1882
- Peters, M. , Fudge , S. , Hoffman, S. , High-Pippert, A. (2012) Carbon management, local governance and community engagement . Carbon Mangement , 3 (4). pp. 357-368. ISSN: 1758-3004 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4155/cmt.12.41
- Fudge, S. , Peters, M. , Mulugetta, Y. , Jackson, T. (2011) Paradigms, policy and governance: the politics of energy regulation in the UK post-2000. Environmental Policy and Governance , 21 (4). pp. 291-302. ISSN: 1756-9338 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eet.574
- Fudge, S. and Peters, M. (2011) Behaviour change in the UK climate debate : an assessment of responsibility, agency and political dimensions. Sustainability , 3 (6). pp. 789-808. | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su3060789
- Peters, M. , Fudge, S. , Jackson, T. , eds. (2010) Low carbon communities: imaginative approaches to combating climate change locally. Edward Elgar Ltd , Cheltenham. pp 269. ISBN: 9781848445895
- Peters, M. (2010) Community engagement and social organization: introducing concepts, policy and practical applications. In: Peters, M. , Fudge, S. , Jackson, T. , (eds.) Low carbon communities: imaginative approaches to combatting climate change locally. Edward Elgar Ltd , Cheltenham. pp. 13-33. ISBN: 9781848445895
- Peters, M. , Fudge, S. , Sinclair, P. (2010) Mobilising community action towards a low-carbon future: Opportunities and challenges for local government in the UK . Energy Policy , 38 (12). pp. 7596-7603. ISSN: 0301-4215 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.01.044
- Fudge, S. and Peters, M. (2009) Motivating carbon reduction in the UK: the role of local government as an agent of social change. Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences , 6 (2). pp. 102-120. ISSN: 1943-815X | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19438150902732101
- Peters, M. and Turner, K. (2004) SME environmental attitudes and participation in local-scale voluntary initiatives: some practical applications. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management , 47 (3). pp. 449-473. ISSN: 0964-0568 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0964056042000216555
- Powell, J. , Turner, K. , Peters, M. , Strobl, B. (2002) Economics of waste. In: Bisson, K. and Proops, J. , (eds.) Waste in Ecological Economics. Edward Elgar pp. 75-101. ISBN: 9781840646481