This event is being hosted by the College of Social Science Interdisciplinary Research Theme: Digital Society and Economy

Climate change and the high costs of energy is raising questions about one of our basic utilities - energy - which is vital for health, wellbeing and to the functioning of our society. There has always been inequality in energy use, with older people, for example, not being able to keep warm, and those on lower income not being able to afford energy for the basics: cooking, washing, cleaning as well as keeping warm. The UK energy market is unique in comparison to other sectors, in that the consumer incurs all the risk. For example, costs are incurred because of supplier failure and instability of new energy technologies, and there is limited agency in terms of options to reduce costs. 

The energy crisis has deepened over the last two years under the UK Energy Price Guarantee (EPG), with the average annual gas and electricity bill significantly increasing in the last year (gas 141% and electricity 96%) leading to growth in energy poverty and inflation. Within the UK and global energy landscape, those with higher incomes are often high users of energy, and their energy use impacts climate change more so than those on lower incomes. 

To explore this issue, this workshop will bring together diverse speakers, exploring a ground-up citizen and community perspective to the energy transition. We will discuss climate resilience in the development of homes and neighbourhoods that connect people, place and environment in equitable ways. It will consider the importance of data humanism and democratising our future energy economy.  The argument is to take a people and community-centred approach for an inclusive, prosperous, sustainable and equitable energy transition.

Following on from the roundtable, we will have time to network to discuss any proposal ideas.

Schedule:

1245-1300 Arrivals and refreshments

1300-1315 Welcome and introduction (Prof. David Flynn)

1315-1330 Net-Zero Homes as localities of households, neighbourhoods, and natural environments (Prof. Bridgette Wessels)

1330-1345 The Crichton Trust: Energy Transitions for Heritage Buildings (Prof. David Flynn)

1345-1400 Digitalising Social Housing Energy Transition with Cyber-Physical Systems and IoT (Dr. Ahmed Taha)

1400-1415 People and Place in the National Hydrogen Economy (Prof. Sara Walker, Newcastle University)

1415-1445 Roundtable and discussion

1445-1500 Summary remarks, and next steps