The challenge of identifying hidden energy poverty

Energy poverty is a multidimensional challenge that needs different approaches. EPIU project has been designed taking into account expertise at different levels. In order to find a good solution to tackle hidden energy poverty, Getafe’s municipality (MUA) is accompanied by:

• EMSV, the local housing public company
• Universidad Carlos III, with three research teams involved:
  • Appropriate Technologies for Sustainable Development Group (GTADS) Control Learning and Systems Optimization Group (CAOS
  • Sociology of Climate Change and Sustainable Development (SCCDS)
• ACA-Asociación de Ciencias Ambientales, as one of the reference organizations tackling energy poverty in Spain
• FN - Fundación Naturgy, the foundation of one of the biggest energy suppliers in Spain
• Khora Urban Thinkers as experts on public management
• UPM - Universidad Politécnica de Madrid with two research teams involved
  • GIAU+S (Architecture, Planning and Sustainability research group)
  • ABIO (Bioclimatic Architecture in a Sustainable Environment).
• Red Cross on its division in Getafe (CR Local Assembly of Getafe)
• FLC - Fundación Laboral de la Construcción representing entities of the employer’s associations and trade unions of the construction sector and ensuring the effectiveness of the communication’s plan of the project.

Other relevant stakeholders such as Instituto para la Diversificación y ahorro de energía (IDAE), Airbus, Comunidad de Madrid, Ecologistas en Acción or Triodos Bank are members of the EPIU’s Technical Committee.

Energy Poverty Intelligent Unit has been designed to reduce energy poverty in Getafe but also to become the reference tool to identify and to tackle hidden energy poverty.

On one side, the project will quantify and qualify identified Hidden Energy Poverty (HEP) in order to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and to determine which public interventions work better and under which circumstances. On the other side, with the specific public service, EPIU aims to become the referent one-stop-shop in Getafe to identify and tackle situations of energy poverty in the area. Citizens will be more aware about risks, negative impacts, public services available and potential actions to reduce energy vulnerability in their homes, buildings and neighborhoods.

In terms of replicability and scalability, EPIU project presents different ways to grow beyond the UIA:

1) One option is to expand the model to the entire city and for other sectors too such as SMEs or to local shops. EPIU is originally designed for two neighbourhoods and data gathering could be easily applied to the whole city. Machine learning would allow a less intensive need of direct data.

2) Another option is to extend the scope to other sectors. Data analytics model is originally intended for the city council to identify energy poverty but it could be useful to other actors: academic institutions that study any social data included in the model, construction companies to identify energy inefficient homes and buildings, energy suppliers to identify homes without installations or inefficient buildings.

3) To replicate the horizontal working methodology for other issues is a possibility too. Collaboration between areas is one of the keys of this project and any project affecting more than one area could benefit from it: monetary poverty (social services, education, health), unemployment (local economy, social services, education), climate change (environment, mobility, energy, consumption)…

4) Last but to least, to bring EPIU model at regional level is feasible too. Scalability of the model, data analytics, service design and knowledge acquired on this topic will be very valuable for cities and towns of the region.

The project will be running until 2023 so stay tuned to know how it is progressing on EPIU’s website https://hogaressaludables.getafe.es/en/

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