Research Article
Achieving net zero goals in residential buildings
Abstract
This paper discusses recent evidence of a large, unrealised energy savings potential in the UK residential sector. It discusses authoritative policy reviews critiquing the Net Zero Strategy and the Heat and Buildings Strategy as well as the economic literature on the energy-efficiency gap. These sources point to four main potential explanations for the lack of progress towards net zero in residential buildings in the UK: 1) historical and current ŋuntargeted subsidies to energy prices (e.g., energy price guarantee); 2) poor scheme implementation and lack of workforce training; 3) regulatory barriers such as planning restrictions and lack of policy coordination across stakeholders; 4) split incentives. To overcome these barriers, the paper recommends better access to data to foster evidence-based policy-making and support for innovative, local-authority-led projects.
Keywords
Energy-efficiency gapenergy price guaranteeplanning restrictionspolicy coordinationscheme implementationresidential buildingsCopyright statement
© The author(s) 2023. This is an open access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International LicenseCite this article
Gazze (2023), ‘Achieving net zero goals in residential buildings’, Journal of the British Academy, 11(4): 035 https://doi.org/10.5871/jba/011s4.035crossref
dimensions
Article metrices
View count: 24
Download count: 2
No Data Found
No Data Found
No Data Found
This article focuses on the experiences of a minoritised black Muslim community in London during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020. It shows that many Somali families, living in a high-density area of the East End, experienced acutely high infection and death rates from late March. The reasons for this were found to be late lockdown, a top-down community-insensitive public health approach, and the way that many of the work force were in highly vulnerable occupations. However, high rates were then prolonged due to the legacy of historic poverty, housing density and institutional racism. Culture and locally specific responses were less significant factors but overall had a positive impact in mitigation. However, the situation with regard to mental health remains bleak. This research suggests more trained Somali health experts, community sensitive data, trauma informed care, and use of local networks could help reduce future vulnerabilities and health poverty.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has been traditionally characterised by young population demographics but is currently experiencing fast transitions into ageing societies. The region has strong narratives of respect and high regard towards the elderly that are embedded in cultural norms. However, such narratives appear to have limited practical applications as they contradict the experiences of older people. The experiences of older women and men are likely to be impacted by existing gender differentials across the life course including marriage patterns, societal expectations and access to opportunities. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated infection control restrictions have impacted the lives of older people globally, including in the Middle East. In this article, I reflect on the intersectionality of gender and ageing perception in the MENA region, drawing on qualitative data collected as part of the Middle East and North Africa Research on Ageing Healthy (MENARAH) Network between 2020 and 2022.
No Data Found