Sally Caird
Dr Sally Caird is a Research Fellow (part-time) with the Design Innovation Group in the Department of Design, Development, Environment, and Materials. She has a B.A. (Hons) in Psychology (University College, Dublin), M.Ed in Education (Trinity College, Dublin) and a PhD in Innovation (The Open University). She has held academic and research posts at Durham University, University of Stirling and The Open University.
Sally has recently worked in the following research areas:
Sustainable teaching models (SusTEACH);
The Microgeneration Heat Pump Trial: Domestic user study;
Consumer adoption and use of microgeneration and renewable energy technologies;
User-centred eco-design (low and zero carbon technologies);
Sustainable transport innovation;
Household ecological footprint assessment;
Technological innovation in SMEs;
Enterprise development.
Key Interests include: Low carbon technology and innovation; Energy use behaviours; Greening organisational processes; Sustainable development and enterprise.
Sally has worked in collaboration with many organisations in the private and public sector on the research projects described below. She has also published many refereed journal articles and other academic publications.
Recent Projects
SusTEACH: Sustainability tools help to ‘green’ organisational processes
SusTEACH aims to develop Sustainable Tools for the Environmental Appraisal of the Carbon Impacts of Higher Education (HE) Teaching Models using ICTs with funding from the JISC Greening ICT Programme. SusTEACH examines the transformative impact of ICTs on HE teaching models, the contribution of ICTs to sustainability and assesses the environmental and life-time impacts of teaching models. SusTEACH aims to develop an environmental impact appraisal toolkit to reduce impacts when new modules/courses and programmes are designed, and contribute towards achieving sustainability targets in HE. (open.ac.uk/blogs/susteach/?page_id=2).
Heat Pump Field Trial - Microgeneration technologies need to meet manufacturer’s claims about performance and carbon savings
Adoption of microgeneration technologies is part of the UK strategy to reduce carbon emissions from buildings and meet climate change challenges. Funded from the Higher Education Innovation Fund's UEA 'Carbon Connections' programme, with co-funding from industry, The OU and The Energy Saving Trust undertook the first large-scale Heat Pump Field Trial in the UK to monitor over 80 domestic ground and air source heat pumps in private and social dwellings to address the lack of independent evaluation of this microgeneration technology. This aimed to investigate the experience of using heat pumps and evaluate user behaviour and other influences on measured heat pump system efficiency. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11200063
U-Stir: Policies and infrastructure can support sustainable transitions
U-Stir -User -driven STImulation of Radical new technological steps in surface transport investigates the key transport innovation areas beyond 2050 which offer greatest opportunity to reduce carbon emissions in the EU. Funded under EU Framework 7, we aimed to identify the most effective mechanisms to engage users and intermediaries with radical transport innovation to support the developing infrastructure for Low Carbon Vehicles (e.g. electric, hydrogen fuel-cell),within the industry infrastructure to achieve successful market transformation. User-engagement co-development is important for: stimulating innovation, successful market diffusion, embedding green technologies in society, achieving carbon reductions and shaping sustainable technological trajectories.
The U-STIR Surface Transport Innovation programme led to the creation of the Innovation Rater web-tool - Open2-Innov8ion Tool -to support reflection on organisational innovation http://design.open.ac.uk/itool/.
http://www.u-stir.eu/index.phtml?ID1=2537&id=2639
Carbon Connections: Consumers need to adopt and understand how to use microgeneration and renewable technologies efficiently
YIMBY –Yes In My Backyard. The OU worked with the Energy Saving Trust to examine the reasons why UK householders adopt or decide not to adopt micro-generation heating technologies, including solar thermal and heat pump systems and biomass heating systems. Funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund's 'Carbon Connections' programme, this project examined the experience of using microgeneration technologies, ideas for design improvements and policies to facilitate mass-market diffusion.
Funded from the Higher Education Innovation Fund's UEA 'Carbon Connections' programme, with co-funding from industry.
People-Centred Eco-Design: The design of user-centred Low and Zero Carbon technologies supports adoption and efficient use
The OU collaborated with the National Energy Foundation and Milton Keynes Energy Agency to examine the factors influencing consumer adoption, non-adoption and effective use of low and zero carbon (LZC) products and systems, ranging from low energy lighting and heating controls to solar water heating, photovoltaics and micro-wind turbine systems. It aimed to identify user-centred technical/design improvements to LZC technologies.
Ecological Footprint Assessment: Environmental appraisal supports greater understanding of low-carbon lifestyles
This project analysed data on the Ecological Footprint (EF) from over 1,000 OU student households differentiated by size and geographical locations. EF was measured using EcoCal software and the households also contributed their ideas for sustainable living, in terms of reducing their transport, energy, waste, water and food environmental impacts. Some spin-off interactive multi-media projects include Postcards from the Future (http://www.open2.net/sciencetechnologynature/worldaroundus/postcards_interactive.html) linked to the OU/BBC Coast series, and a Student and Adult Eco-quiz developed for the soil education website www.soil-net.com.
Enterprise and Sustainable Development: The challenge of sustainability creates opportunities for enterprise
General Enterprising Tendency (GET) The drive for sustainability creates diverse opportunities for SMEs, organisational and social enterprise. Following the development of the popular General Enterprising Tendency (GET) test at Durham University, further development of educational materials led to the interactive, multi-media, website www.get2test.net. This educational website continues to be internationally adopted by academics, researchers, development agencies and businesses to support research, development and education practices. The basic premise of get2test is that the enterprising person shares the entrepreneurial characteristics associated with entrepreneurship. Integrating sustainability, social well-being and economic development is a challenge for enterprise.
Contact Information
Email: s.caird@open.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1908 654635
Fax: +44 (0)1908 654052
Room: N2053, Venables building
Selected Publications
Caird, S., Roy, R. and Potter, S. (2012) Domestic Heat Pumps in the UK: User behaviour, satisfaction and performance, submitted to Energy Efficiency, Accepted January 2012. Digital Object Identifier (DOI) 10.1007/s12053-012-9146-x
http://www.springerlink.com/content/0468221w5476t5j0/
http://oro.open.ac.uk/31521/
Caird, S. and Roy, R. (2011) 'Yes in my back yard. UK householders pioneering microgeneration technologies' In Chapter 14 Public Engagement with Renewable Energy edited by Devine-Wright, P. (ed.) Earthscan. Submitted 14 Sept 2009, accepted, in press.
Caird, S and Roy, R. (2010) Adoption and Use of Household Microgeneration Heat Technologies. Low Carbon Economy Vol.1 No.1 December PP.61-70 http://oro.open.ac.uk/25915/
http://www.scirp.org/journal/lce
Caird, S. and Potter, S. (2010) From Invention to Innovation:
A Guide to Developing and Evaluating your Inventive Idea U-STIR website
http://www.u-stir.eu/index.phtml?id=2537&ID1=2537&sprache=en ]http://www.u-stir.eu/index.phtml?id=2537&id1=2537&sprache=en
Potter, S. and Caird, S. (2010) Guide to Intellectual Property Rights in Transport Innovation U-STIR website http://u-stir.eu/docs/USTIRIPRadviceFinal2010-2.pdf
Roy, R. and Caird, S. (2008) Who Adopts Micro-Heating Technologies? Green Building, Autumn. http://oro.open.ac.uk/28815/
Caird, S. and Roy, R. (2008) User-Centred Improvements to Energy Efficiency Products and Renewable Energy Systems: Research on Household Adoption and Use, International Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 12, No. 3 (September).http://oro.open.ac.uk/12193/
Roy, R. and Caird, S. (2008) Design Improvements from users’ experiences of low and zero carbon technologies, Paper for special issue on Sustainability of International Journal of Performability Engineering, Vol. 4 No. 4, October, pp. 357-370. http://oro.open.ac.uk/11924/
Caird, S., Roy, R. and Herring, H. (2008) Improving the energy performance of UK households. Results from surveys of consumer adoption and use of low- and zero- carbon technologies, Energy Efficiency Vol 1: June pp.149–166 http://oro.open.ac.uk/10827/
Roy, R., Caird S., and Abelman, J. (2008) YIMBY generators. Yes in my back yard! UK householders pioneering microgeneration heat, The Energy Saving Trust, London, June. http://oro.open.ac.uk/10828/
Roy, R. and Caird, S. (2008) Why do householders adopt or reject energy efficiency and renewables? Energy Action, No. 104, March, pp. 16-17.
Caird, S. and Roy, R. with S. Potter and H.Herring (2007) Consumer adoption and use of household energy efficiency products Report DIG-09, Dec. 2007. http://design.open.ac.uk/research/research_dig.htm
Caird, S. and Roy, R. with S. Potter and H. Herring, (2007) Consumer adoption and use of household renewable energy technologies Report DIG-10, Dec. 2007.
http://design.open.ac.uk/research/research_dig.htm
Roy, R. and Caird, S. (2007) Memorandum submitted by the Design Innovation Group (CIT 09). House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee ‘Climate Change: the citizen’s agenda’ Eighth Report of Session 2006-2007 Volume 11. HC 88-11. Oral and Written Evidence Ordered by the House of Commons London: The Stationary Office Limited, 13 September 2007 pp413-418. http://oro.open.ac.uk/9675/
Caird, S. (2007) Website product, ‘General Measure of Enterprising Tendency Test’ http://www.get2test.net.
Caird, S. and Roy, R. (2007) Views of energy efficiency professionals. Adoption of Low and Zero Carbon products and systems: How may eco-designs be improved to be more people-centered? NHER E-info Newsletter, May.
Roy, R, Caird, S. and Potter, S. (2007) “People Centred Eco-design: Consumer adoption and use of low and zero carbon products and systems”, Chapter 3 in Murphy, J. (ed.) Governing technology for sustainability, London: Earthscan, pp. 41-62 ISBN 978-1-84407-345. http://oro.open.ac.uk/4026/
Herring, H., Caird, S. and Roy, R. (2007) Can consumers save energy? Results from surveys of consumer adoption and use of low and zero carbon technologies, In Proceedings European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy Summer Study 2007, ‘Saving energy – just do it!’ (La Colle sur Loup, Côte d’Azur, France, 4-5 June) Volume 4, Stockholm, Sweden, pp. 1885-95.
Roy, R and Caird, S. (2007) Designing low and zero carbon products and systems: improvements based on consumers’ experience of adoption and use, International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED07), ‘Design for society: Knowledge, innovation and sustainability’, Paris, 28-30 August, (Executive summary in Conference Proceedings pp. 863-864 + full paper on CD-ROM).
Caird, S. and Roy, R. (2006) “Household Ecological Footprints - Demographics and Sustainability” Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management Vol. 8, No. 4 December, pp.407-429. http://oro.open.ac.uk/6815/
Caird, S. (2006) General Measure of Enterprising Tendency Version 2 (GET2), Appendix in T. Mazzarol Entrepreneurship and Innovation Australia: Tilde University Press. May.
Caird, S. and Johnson, C. (2006) General Measure of Enterprising Tendency (GET), Appendix in P.Burns (2006) 'Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2nd Edition, England Palgrave Macmillan. http://www.palgrave.com/business/burns/students/get/elsewhere.html.
Roy, R. and Caird, S. (2006) ‘Designing low & zero carbon products and systems – adoption, effective use and innovation’, In Proceedings Sustainable Innovation 06 international conference, Chicago 23-24 October, Centre for Sustainable Design, University of the Creative Arts, Farnham, UK, pp. 216-224. http://oro.open.ac.uk/6090/
Crompton, S., Roy, R. and Caird, S. (2002) “Household Ecological Footprinting For Active Distance Learning And Challenge Of Personal Lifestyles” International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education Vol.3. No.4. Dec., pp. 313-324. http://oro.open.ac.uk/3050/
Roy, R. and Caird, S. (2001) “Environmental Actions to Reduce Household Ecological Footprints” International Journal of Environmental Education and Information, Vol.20. No.4. Oct, pp. 315-333.
Roy, R. and Caird, S. (2001) “Household Ecological Footprints - Moving Towards Sustainability?” Town & Country Planning Vol.70 No.10. Oct, pp. 277-279. http://oro.open.ac.uk/4046/
Caird, S., Roy, R. and Wield, D. (1997) “Team Approaches To Developing Innovative Products and Processes” International Journal of Innovation Management Vol.1. No.4. Dec, pp. 333-354.
Caird. S, Roy, R., and Wield, D. (1994) “Problems Experienced By Engineers On Environmental Product Development Projects” Technology Analysis and Strategic Management Vol. 6 No 2, pp. 177-188.
Caird, S. (1993) “How Important Is The Innovator For The Commercial Success Of Innovative Products In SME’s ?” Technovation Vol.14. No.2, 1994.
Caird, S. (1992) “How Should Innovation Be Supported?: The Views Of Innovators”, Journal of General Management, Volume 18, Winter 1992, pp. 68-92.
Caird, S. (1991) “Research On The Enterprising Tendency Of Occupational Groups” International Journal of Small Business, Vol 9, No. 4, pp. 75-82.
Caird, S. (1991) “Self Assessments On Enterprise Training Courses”, British Journal of Education and Work, Volume 4, No. 3, pp. 63-80.
Caird, S. (1991) “Testing Enterprising Tendency In Occupational Groups”, British Journal of Management, Volume 2, pp. 177-186.
Caird, S. (1990) “Enterprise Education: The Need for Differentiation” British Journal of Education and Work, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 47-57.
Caird, S. (1990) “What Does It Mean To Be Enterprising?” British Journal of Management, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 137-147.
OU Course Publications
Caird , S. (2008) Activity 27.5: ‘Are you an entrepreneur? Take the test’ Business organisations and their environments B201-09B-a compulsory Level 2 course. UK: Open UniversityTeaching.
Caird, S. (2003) “Research Methodology, Chapter 4 of Team Approaches To Developing Innovative Products And Processes, 1996 Technology Faculty” Set Reading In Block 1 Innovation and Design T890 UK: The Open University.
Potter, S. Caird, S. and Earl, C. (2003) Block 1 Innovation and Design: Block Guide T890 UK: The Open University.
Mabey, C. and Caird, S. (1994) Managing Personal And Team Effectiveness: Book 5. B701/PTE. UK: Open University.
Mabey, C. and Caird, S. (1994) Building Team Effectiveness. B751/Unit 6. UK: Open University.Teaching
Academic transformation of OpenLearn courses in XML (e.g. B624_1, B700_3, K100_3, K100_6);
Page Last Updated: 18 April, 2012