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This paper investigates factors associated with variation in daily total (electricity and gas) energy consumption in domestic buildings using linked pre-COVID-19 smart meter, weather, building thermal characteristics, and socio-technical survey data covering appliance ownership, demographics, behaviours, and attitudes for two nested sub-samples of 1418 and 682 British households selected from the Smart Energy Research Laboratory (SERL) Observatory panel. Linear mixed effects modelling resulted in adjusted R2 between 63% and 80% depending on sample size and combinations of contextual data used. Increased daily energy consumption was significantly associated (p -value < 0.05, VIF < 5) with: households living in buildings with more rooms and bedrooms, that are older, more detached, have air-conditioning, and experience colder (more heating degree days) or less sunny weather; households with more adult occupants, more children, older adult occupants, higher heating temperature setpoints, and that do not try to save energy. The results demonstrate the value of smart meter data linked with contextual data for improving understanding of energy demand in British housing. Accredited UK researchers are invited to apply to access the data, which has recently been updated to include over 13,000 households from across Great Britain. This paper provides guidance on appropriate methods to use when analysing the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ducks are commonly housed in captive environments where their abilities for flight are constrained, either temporarily or permanently. The use of flight restraint in modern animal management is contentious and ethically questioned yet any associated impacts on behaviour remain poorly documented and evaluated. Comparison of information on wild ecology and activity of free-living individuals with information from the same species when captive-housed can reliably inform on "naturalness" of behaviour patterns if standardised methods are used. This research aimed to compare the activity of several species of ducks (Order Anseriformes) with information contained in the literature, and that collected from direct observation, to identify differences between the behaviours of captive and wild ducks. Observational data on the state behaviours for 17 duck species were collected at three Wildfowl & Wetland Trust (WWT) centres in the UK from 2015 to 2018, with behavioural data on two species of wild duck also collected via direct observation. A meta-analysis of time spent on key state behaviours (papers published up until 2018) was performed to provide comparison with the information provided on time-activity budgets of the captive birds. Results showed a multitude of factors influenced captive duck behaviour, but resting, maintenance and locomotion behaviours were most commonly observed. Wild birds differed significantly in their time-activity budgets compared to captive individuals and data from the meta-analysis revealed that foraging rates were higher in the wild than in captivity. Records of abnormal behaviour in captive birds were non-existent to very low in performance, suggesting that flight restrained ducks do not fill part of their time budget with stereotypic behaviour. Human presence may potentially influence of the behaviour of both wild and captive ducks living in wetland areas that attract human visitors. Seasonal, temporal and sex differences significantly also affected wild and captive duck behaviour. Further study should continue to investigate behavioural responses of these species to a range of captive housing to determine the most optimal way of providing for good welfare under human care. Research that investigates the behaviour of fully winged captive ducks to extend our evaluation of behaviour patterns in flight restrained birds (and to provide further review against wild data) is recommended. [Display omitted] • Wild duck time-activity budgets differ from those of captive individuals. • Captive ducks perform low to zero rates of abnormal behaviour. • Environmental, sex and seasonal variables significantly impact duck behaviour. • Duck behaviour may provide useful information on welfare in open-topped enclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fostering is a process used by sheep farmers for the rearing of abandoned lambs or in the incidence of triplets, providing the surplus lamb a surrogate ewe. Historically, research has assessed the varying success rates of different fostering methods and evaluated them using the latency to accept the alien lamb. There are no current studies on the frequency of use of the different methods, nor the farmers’ perception of the effects of the methods on ewe behaviour and welfare. The aim of the survey was to identify which fostering methods are currently in use in the UK and to gain an insight into farmers’ attitudes towards them, in relation to the ewe''s behaviour and welfare. Data were collected using paper and online questionnaires that were distributed with the help of stakeholders such as the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) and at events such as the Royal Show and the NSA Sheep event. Seventy five farmers responded and results showed that they used birth fluids and restraint more often than other methods. Farmers believed that restraint methods can have negative welfare implications as determined by the ewe''s behaviour and the lamb growth rate. There was also a significant relationship between the foster method and breed type. The farmers also suggested that the birth fluid method was preferred by the animals compared to all of the other methods as it was less disruptive and restricting to the ewes. Exploratory Factor Analysis identified two main factors influencing the farmers’ choice of foster methods; these were the ‘ewes health and welfare’ and ‘the farmers previous knowledge and success of the method’. The former had a significantly greater influence than the latter signifying that farmers are concerned for the animal''s welfare during this process. Overall, farmers acknowledged that the selection of the appropriate foster method is a means to increase lamb productivity which can influence their return. They also recognised that the display of positive or negative ewe behaviours plays a vital role in the selection process of the fostering technique. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper explores the motivation and behaviour of hospitals, using data from UK hospital Trusts. Managers and consultants (hospital specialists) are identified as the main alternative sources of power within Trusts. It is hypothesised that consultants are interested in production or service (volume and quality) while managers are interested primarily in financial break-even, and that in the long run consultants will dominate. A survey of 1500 consultants and managers and a statistical analysis of the behaviour of 100 Trusts over 3 years yielded the empirical results that were largely but not entirely consistent with these hypotheses. Consultants did indeed consider production goals to be more important than financial breakeven, but within those goals, considered quality to be more important than service volume. While the break-even target was found to be the primary goal of managers on average, they proved to be a heterogeneous group with quality ranking as the main priority among those managers who are closest to service delivery. This is at odds with the apparent objective of Trusts, which both groups perceive as being the single-minded pursuit of financial targets, consistent with the formal, government-set requirements. We find that this strong and unequivocal financial driver is not owned or acted upon by either consultants or managers and it is inferred that, in accordance with the dominant motivation of consultants, the Trust''s primary objective is to maintain service quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As the impacts of climate change become increasingly visible across the globe, awareness of the need for cleaner energy and demand reduction is growing. Energy literacy offers a strong potential for explaining and predicting energy-related behaviours, yet research and policies focused on this topic remain limited. In this study, energy literacy was measured in a sample of 2806 university students in the United Kingdom and China, in addition to their wider environmental attitudes using the New Ecological Paradigm scale. Findings indicate that energy literacy was relatively high overall, but there were significant differences between the knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions of participants in the two countries. Whilst the UK respondents rated themselves significantly more highly on perceived knowledge of energy issues, Chinese respondents provided significantly more correct answers in a knowledge test. UK respondents demonstrated more positive attitudes towards energy conservation than those from China, and were more likely to report energy-saving behaviours. However, Chinese respondents exhibited higher levels of trust in government and businesses to take action on energy issues. This paper provides a novel insight into cultural differences which may be crucial to policy and practice, and evidences the potential benefits of utilising a combination of educational and structural change to support transition to a cleaner, low-energy society. Image 1 • Significant differences in energy literacy arose in 1806 students in UK and China. • Chinese respondents demonstrated more knowledge about energy than UK respondents. • UK respondents demonstrated more positive attitudes and energy saving behaviours. • Cultural context, including trust in government impacts on energy-saving behaviours. • Combining educational and structural change will aid transition to a cleaner world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]