School of Geography and the Environment

Fixing Fuel Poverty, by Dr Brenda Boardman will be available from bookshops from December 2009. Pre-order your discounted copy now.

Profile

Brenda is an Emeritus Fellow at the ECI following her retirement in September 2008. Brenda was the former head of the Lower Carbon Futures team and a co-director of the UK Energy Research Centre. Her main research focus is on how to achieve demand reduction in energy across the UK economy, but in particular the built environment. She considers the behavioural, technical, economic and political issues of significantly cutting carbon emissions.

Research Interests

Brenda's main research focus is on energy efficiency and the way that energy is used in British homes, particularly by low-income households, i.e. fuel poverty. She considers the economic, social and technical aspects of the subject and her work has a strong policy emphasis. She has been a member of the DTI's Energy Advisory Panel and is widely viewed as one of the most experienced in her field. She was awarded an MBE in 1998 for her work on energy issues.

Brenda's second book, 'Fixing fuel poverty: challenges and solutions' will be published by Earthscan at the end of 2009, in both paperback and hardback. This examines why the numbers of households in fuel poverty are rising - currently 5m in the UK - despite the government's legal obligation to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016. Many of the lessons from the UK are germaine for other countries beginning to experience worsening fuel poverty, particularly in Eastern and Central Europe. The European Commission now requires action on fuel poverty in all Member States, through the revised Electricity Directive.

Teaching

Brenda continues to supervise five doctoral students and to give occasional lectures to the MSc Environmental Change and Management

Recent Publications

Earthscan will be publishing Brenda's new book "Fixing Fuel Poverty: challenges and solutions" for Christmas 2009. Pre-order your discounted copy now

• Boardman, B. (2007) Home Truths: A low carbon strategy to reduce UK housing emissions by 80% Research Report for Co-operative Bank and Friends of the Earth. 27 November 2007
• Full witness statement by Dr Brenda Boardman for the legal case against the UK Government for failing to meet its legal requirements to eradicate fuel poverty under the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000. Index Key
• Boardman, B. (2007) Examining the carbon agenda via the 40%House scenario. Building Research and Information 35(4), 363–378
• Palmer J, Boardman B, Bottrill C, Darby S, Hinnells M, Killip G, Layberry R, Lovell H (2007) Reducing the environmental impact of housing. Final Report. Consultancy study in support of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution’s 26th Report on the Urban Environment.
• Boardman, B, Creating a virtuous circle for climate change with consumers, manufacturers and sufficiency Conference Paper, EEDAL (International Energy Efficiency in Domestic Appliances & Lighting Conference, 21-23 June 2006, London
• Predict and decide: aviation, climate change and UK policy' [PDF: 3.42MB] 17 October 2006
• Boardman, B (2006) Housing and energy – the possibilities. In Blueprints for Green Homes: a housing & energy policy for the 21st century. Labour Housing Group, pp5-7
• Boardman, B, DREWE, D, Bring on the Bulldozer?, Green Futures (Exchange of Fire), March / April 2006, pp30-33
• Boardman, B (submitted), Examining the carbon agenda: the issues raised by a 40% housing stock, Building Research and Information
• Keirstead J, Darby S, Boardman, B (2006) Response to Ofgem consultation on domestic metering innovation. March 2006
• Boardman, B. (2006) Cloud Cockoo Britain. Parliamentary Brief, Vol 10:6 pp11-12.
• Boardman, B., Jardine. C., Lipp, J. (2006) Green Electricity Code of Practice: A Scoping Study
• Boardman, B., Darby, S., Killip, G., Hinnells, M., Jardine, C.N., Palmer, J., and Sinden, G., (2005) 40% House. Environmental Change Institute Research Report Number 31
• Boardman, B. (2005) Policy packages to achieve demand reduction. Paper 1.240, Proceedings, European Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Mandelieu, June 2005
• Boardman, B. (March 2005) Falling Short. Energy Action 95:12-13
• Boardman, B. (March 2005) Renewable Iceland . Geography Review Vol18(4):40-41