Abstract

Recent research highlights from the Environmental Change Institute

First Speaker: Tina Fawcett

The ‘Lower Carbon Futures’ energy team at ECI undertakes multi-disciplinary research on energy use and carbon emissions, with a particular focus on household energy use. Recent research output include: modelling energy demand scenarios to 2050, investigating the UK market for micro-generation, strategies for low carbon renovation for the existing housing stock, personal carbon trading, personal energy feedback and smart metering. In our research we attempt to blend scientific, technological, economic, policy and social science approaches and insights to generate new knowledge and to develop approaches to delivering a lower carbon future. In this talk I will give examples from our recent work and demonstrate the benefits of a multi-disciplinary research philosophy.

A framework for modelling decarbonisation: perspectives from engineering and economics.

Second Speaker: Scott Kelly

Many engineering-based models exist that aim to measure the energy consumption, efficiency and carbon emissions from the built environment. These models take a physical approach to quantify energy consumption based on real-world engineering limits. Likewise, there are a number models that use economic theory that attempt to predict how households swith technologies and make decisions about energy demand. In order to build an accurate picture for how personal comfort, energy demand and technology choice will effect carbon emissions from the built environment, a multidisciplinary approach is required that considers both the physical and environmental constraints and the economic social constraints. This talk will give recent experience in modelling the decarbonisation of the built environment using a combination of both these approaches.