Challenging the myth of non-materiality. Energy consumption in service industries.

Charlotte Fourcroy (1, 2) , Faïz Gallouj (1) , Fabrice Decellas (2)

1 CLERSÉ - Centre Lillois d’Études et de Recherches Sociologiques et Économiques - UMR 8019
2 EDF R&D - EDF R&D

This paper addresses the issue of energy consumption in service industries. Official energy statistics show that the amount of energy consumed in service industries is quite small, and this is explained in the theoretical literature by the presumed intangibility of these services. Our hypothesis, however, is that the energy consumed by services has been underestimated. After identifying and analyzing the full range of sources of energy consumption in service industries, we show that official energy statistics account for only a part of this consumption. Our work is based on a thorough rereading of the economics literature on services (especially concerning the definition of services and the specifics of the service provision process), done in light of our knowledge about energy consumption.

Mots clés: interaction; materiality; services; Energy consumption

Domaines: Economies et finances; Gestion et management

Charlotte Fourcroy, Faïz Gallouj, Fabrice Decellas. Challenging the myth of non-materiality. Energy consumption in service industries.. 9th International Conference of the European Society for Ecological Economics. Advancing Ecological Economics, European Society for Ecological Economics, Jun 2011, Istanbul, Turkey. ⟨halshs-01114002⟩