Improving residential energy efficiency can be a cost-effective way to tackle the current energy crisis, increase energy security and mitigate climate change. Significant variations in the efficiency of homes across the country raise the question of how retrofitting should be implemented to maximise impact.

In this article published by the Economics Observatory, Ella Benoit, Mirko Moro and Rodolfo Sejas Portillo shed new light on the issue of residential energy efficiency in England and Wales. The UK housing stock is one of the least energy efficient globally. The article reviews the international literature and calculates the contribution of home energy savings towards net zero across local authorities.

Their findings are based on detailed geocoded data on current vs potential energy ratings and are the result of a summer work placement funded by Economic Futures, which saw Ella Benoit, a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Glasgow, join Mirko and Rodolfo on the project.

Click here if you want to read the article.

This work builds on an ongoing research agenda on behavioural economics and residential energy use by David Comerford, Mirko Moro and Till Stowasser.

PS: Economic Futures’ 2023 Summer Work Placement Programme will be coming soon so keep an eye out for the applications opening in Spring here.