Improving Energy Poverty Measurement in Southern European Regions through Equivalization of Modeled Energy Costs

Antepara, Íñigo; Papada, Lefkothea; Gouveia, João Pedro; Katsoulakos, Nikolas; Kaliampakos, Dimitris

doi:10.3390/su12145721

Cited by 42 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 24 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…This risk could lead to an increased need for healthcare services, which could contribute to increasing household health expenditure burden, that is aligned with the obtained low electricity-high health expenditure situation. Furthermore, despite the warm weather, Portugal has been repeatedly considered one of the countries most affected by this issue [3,79].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health and Housing Energy Expenditures: A Two-Part Model Approach

2021

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Interest in the interaction between energy and health within the built environment has been increasing in recent years, in the context of sustainable development. However, in order to promote health and wellbeing across all ages it is necessary to have a better understanding of the association between health and energy at household level. This study contributes to this debate by addressing the case of Portugal using data from the Household Budget Survey (HBS) microdata database. A two-part model is applied to estimate health expenditures based on energy-related expenditures, as well as socioeconomic variables. Additional statistical methods are used to enhance the perception of relevant predictors for health expenditures. Our findings suggest that given the high significance and coefficient value, energy expenditure is a relevant explanatory variable for health expenditures. This result is further validated by a dominance analysis ranking. Moreover, the results show that health gains and medical cost reductions can be a key factor to consider on the assessment of the economic viability of energy efficiency projects in buildings. This is particularly relevant for the older and low-income segments of the population.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health and Housing Energy Expenditures: A Two-Part Model Approach

2021

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“…Hernández et al (2019) performed an energy audit for the building stock of Alokabide stating its good energy performance and a lower-than-expected energy consumption by the tenants. Using a different methodology, Antepara et al (2020) confirmed the observed energy under-consumption. Both studies draw a scenario similar to that described by Teli et al (2016), the fuel poverty-induced "prebound effect.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 55%

Under-Consumption Penalties in the Low Carbon Market: Reflections From a Spanish Social Housing Provider

Antepara

2021

Front. Sustain. Cities

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This proposal focuses on the analysis of three case studies of a Spanish social landlord—Basque Alokabide, submitted to the Carbon Fund for a Sustainable Economy. The calculation of CO2 emissions follows the methodology recommended by the Spanish government. The economic viability of the cases analyzed is calculated, first without taking into account the money obtained from the carbon market, and then taking advantage of the sale of the emissions. The interest value of this work is the examination of how low incomes tend to be overrepresented in social housing, resulting in lower energy consumption and colder dwellings. Since low income tenants under-consume energy, before renovation CO2 emissions are lower, and therefore Alokabide is taking less advantage of the carbon market. Additionally, photovoltaic systems, while easier to implement even at district level, are not eligible in the Spanish program, and this is also disadvantageous. In the policy recommendations, the ex-ante accounting of emissions should be justified on the basis of theoretical energy consumption with average consumers, rather than verifying ex-post actual emissions by low income household that under consume: energy efficiency measures lead to improved thermal comfort, and this added benefit should be taken into account in the economic viability. Toward the goal of reducing emissions after retrofitting, decarbonization is more feasible than the reduction of the energy consumption through the substitution of fossil fuels by renewables to satisfy primary energy needs.

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“…Finally, one of the limitations in the use of the ten percent rule indicator to define households' energy poverty, was derived from the relativeness among home-income levels, and the differences found between countries [85], also related to differences in national energy prices [86]. Despite being an indicator based on energy expenditure, its application in national contexts complemented with other multidimensional indicators should be considered [87], as already shown in the recent literature.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavior Patterns, Energy Consumption and Comfort during COVID-19 Lockdown Related to Home Features, Socioeconomic Factors and Energy Poverty in Madrid

2021

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During spring 2020, the world was shocked at the imminent global spread of SARS-CoV-2, resorting to measures such as domestic confinement. This meant the reconfiguration of life in an unusual space; the home. However, not all households experienced it in the same way; many of them were vulnerable. A general increase in energy consumption and discomfort in many cases, led these families to suffer the ravages of confinement. This study analyzes the energy and comfort situation for the Madrid (Spain) population, according to the configuration of the homes, the characteristics of the dwellings, the vulnerability index by district, and energy poverty (measured with the 10% threshold of energy expenditure of home incomes). The results show a greater exposure, in confinement, of vulnerable and energy-poor households to scenarios of discomfort in the home, to which they could not respond, while energy consumption inevitably increased. Driven by need, energy-poor homes applied certain saving strategies, mainly resorting to thermal adaptation with clothing. This study shows the risk these households experienced in the face of an extreme situation, and invites reflection on preventive and containment measures that aim to avoid harming the disadvantaged in the future; harm that would also entail serious consequences on the health of their cohabitants.

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Improving Energy Poverty Measurement in Southern European Regions through Equivalization of Modeled Energy Costs

Cited by 42 publications

References 24 publications

Health and Housing Energy Expenditures: A Two-Part Model Approach

Health and Housing Energy Expenditures: A Two-Part Model Approach

Under-Consumption Penalties in the Low Carbon Market: Reflections From a Spanish Social Housing Provider

Behavior Patterns, Energy Consumption and Comfort during COVID-19 Lockdown Related to Home Features, Socioeconomic Factors and Energy Poverty in Madrid

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