Profile

Brenda is an Emeritus Fellow at the ECI following her retirement in September 2008. She is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Exeter. At the ECI, 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.

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 is widely viewed as one of the most experienced in her field and was awarded an MBE in 1998 for her work on energy efficiency and received the Energy Institute's Melchett Medal in the same year.

Brenda's second book, Fixing Fuel Poverty: Challenges and solutions is available in both paperback and hardback. The book 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 to 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. Brenda has given a series of presentations about the book to various professional and academic audiences in the UK, in Brussels and in Prague.

Teaching

Brenda continues to supervise two doctoral students and to give occasional lectures to the MSc in Environmental Change and Management. She also contributes to the MSc in Energy Policy at Exeter University and is external examiner for the MSc in Theory and Practice of Sustainable Design, Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University.

Recent Publications

• Boardman, B. (2012) Achieving zero: delivering future-friendly buildings. Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford.
• Boardman, B. (2010) Liberalisation and fuel poverty. Chapter 9 in, Rutledge, I. and P. Wright (eds.) UK Energy Policy and the End of Market Fundamentalism, Oxford University Press, pp. 255-280. ISBN: 9780199593002.
• Boardman, B. (2010) Fixing Fuel Poverty: Challenges and solutions. Earthscan, 244pp.
• 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., and 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. (2006) 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.
• Boardman, B. (2006) 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, pp. 5-7.
• Boardman, B. and Rewe, D. (2006) Bring on the bulldozer? Green Futures (Exchange of Fire), March / April 2006, pp 30-33.
• Keirstead, J., Darby, S. and Boardman, B. (2006) Response to Ofgem consultation on domestic metering innovation. March 2006.
• Boardman, B. (2006) Cloud Cockoo Britain. Parliamentary Brief, 10(6): 11-12.
• Boardman, B., Jardine. C. and 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. (2005) Falling Short. Energy Action, 95: 12-13.
• Boardman, B. (2005) Renewable Iceland. Geography Review, 18(4): 40-41.
• Milne, G. and Boardman, B. (2000) Making cold homes warmer: the effect of energy efficiency improvements in low-income homes A report to the Energy Action Grants Agency Charitable Trust. Energy Policy 28 (2000) 411}424