Search Results (164)

The pursuit of energy efficiency has dominated sustainable housing policy and research, yet growing evidence suggests that technical performance alone cannot guarantee positive outcomes, particularly in rural contexts where housing is embedded within complex socio-economic systems. This study addresses this gap by developing and applying a context-specific analytical framework for evaluating the socio-economic sustainability of rural housing in Scotland. Through a structured literature review of 43 peer-reviewed articles and thematic coding, four core sustainability dimensions were identified: People and Community, Land and Site, House, and Energy and Infrastructure. The framework was developed and tested through four contemporary rural housing case studies in Scotland, spanning private and social tenures across Aberdeenshire, Moray, Dumfries & Galloway, and Shetland Islands. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, on-site observations, and documentary evidence. A multi-evidence traffic-light evaluation system was developed to cross-check assessment results across distinct data sources. The findings reveal that sustainability outcomes are conditional, sometimes uneven, and shaped by multiple factors. While all cases demonstrated strong performance in community cohesion, affordability, and non-speculative land access, some persistent challenges emerged around energy resilience, fuel poverty mitigation, transport accessibility, and participatory practices for social-house design. The study contributes a replicable analytical framework to develop and evaluate rural housing sustainability beyond energy-efficiency assessments, providing empirical insights for policy and practice in Scotland. Full article

Despite Nigeria’s vast and diverse untapped potential in solar, wind, biomass, and small-scale hydropower, a significant and persistent gap remains between national policy ambition and the practical implementation of renewable energy projects. This study investigates the underlying structural reasons why existing sustainable energy strategies have failed to significantly reduce fossil fuel dependency or resolve chronic electricity shortages, particularly within underserved semi-urban and rural communities where energy poverty remains a major barrier to development. Through a comprehensive thematic analysis of current regulatory frameworks, international development reports, and peer-reviewed academic literature, this research identifies critical bottlenecks in the energy transition process, with a specific focus on the deployment of solar mini-grids and decentralized energy systems as viable alternatives to the struggling national grid. The findings reveal that progress is hindered not by a lack of natural resources or high-level policy intent but by fragmented institutional coordination, weak regulatory enforcement, and a lack of robust de-risking mechanisms necessary to attract essential private sector investment. To bridge this implementation gap, this paper proposes a multi-dimensional strategic framework centered on fostering inter-agency synergy, implementing specialized capacity-building programs, and stabilizing financial foundations for renewable infrastructure. Full article

Energy poverty remains a persistent challenge in South Africa, despite relatively high levels of electricity access in urban townships. This study investigates household energy consumption patterns, energy-related challenges, and community perceptions of renewable energy in South Africa. In this study, a quantitative research design was employed, using a structured questionnaire administered to households selected from both electrified and non-electrified areas. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential analysis with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 30). The findings demonstrated that although electricity is widely used for basic services such as cooking and lighting, many households continue to rely on multiple fuels to meet their daily energy needs. This practice of energy stacking reflects ongoing concerns about affordability, reliability, and safety, and highlights that access to electricity alone does not guarantee energy security. Households also report significant financial pressure from energy costs, as well as health and fire risks associated with the use of unsafe alternative fuels. While awareness of renewable energy is present within the community, knowledge levels are uneven and not strongly associated with demographic factors, suggesting the need for more inclusive and targeted engagement strategies. Overall, the study demonstrates that energy poverty in urban South African townships extends beyond physical grid connection and is shaped by complex socio-economic and safety considerations. By foregrounding community perspectives, this research contributes to the international literature on multidimensional energy poverty and supports the design of integrated, people-centered interventions that advance affordable, reliable, and clean energy transitions in the Global South. Full article

Fuel poverty is shaped by interacting social, environmental and housing conditions, yet these links remain underexplored at city scale. The analysis is framed as an ecological, cross-sectional assessment of spatial associations rather than as a causal proof of a closed feedback mechanism. This study examines the relationship between fuel poverty, deprivation, particulate air pollution and housing typology across 54 wards in Liverpool, UK. Ward-level fuel poverty and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) data were integrated with 2023–2024 annual mean particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) from 58 low-cost air-quality sensors and classified housing types. Regression models were used to compare individual, additive and interaction effects. Fuel poverty ranged from 12.4% to 25.29%, while PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ frequently exceeded World Health Organization guideline values. IMD was the strongest individual predictor of fuel poverty (R² = 0.281, $p<0.001$). The preferred additive model including IMD, PM_2.5, PM₁₀ and housing type explained 43.5% of the variance, with Victorian Terraces emerging as a significant risk factor. Although interaction models suggested pollution-deprivation coupling, model selection and uncertainty diagnostics favoured the simpler additive specification. The findings support targeted retrofit, fuel-poverty and emissions-control policies in deprived urban neighbourhoods where inefficient housing and environmental stressors compound energy insecurity and where local action can contribute to more equitable urban sustainability. Full article

This study, through a hybrid approach to post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of four types of high-energy-efficiency housing in rural Scotland, explores the manifestation, formation mechanism, and mitigation pathways of energy risks in high-energy-efficiency housing from environmental and socioeconomic dimensions. The findings reveal a “high-efficiency paradox”: better fabric performance and lower heating demand do not guarantee reduced carbon emissions, fuel poverty alleviation, or energy resilience. Actual energy risks are formed by the combined effects of multiple factors, including building size, energy infrastructure, resident characteristics, energy prices, and policy, exhibiting a clear systemic coupling characteristic. The study further verifies that, in the context of rural Scotland, relying solely on indicators such as EPC may lead to misjudgements of housing sustainability. Heating demand, total energy consumption, carbon emissions, and energy expenditure exhibit a partially decoupled relationship. Thus, rural housing sustainability should shift from a technically efficient approach to a comprehensive strategy integrating design, infrastructure, affordability, and social equity. The study proposes context-specific mitigation pathways including multi-source energy systems, place-sensitive policies, socio-economic support, and a multi-criteria assessment framework, providing empirical references for rural housing energy transition and energy risk governance. Full article

This article presents the results of two qualitative studies, realized in Italy, aimed at investigating if and how social love informs social workers’ practices and interventions designed to address situations of poverty and homelessness. In particular, the aim of these studies was to further develop the line of inquiry initiated by a preliminary exploratory study conducted in Italy some years ago, which recognized traces of agapic action within helping relationships in the context of social services addressing conditions of social exclusion and poverty, and found that these agapic actions produce a reality sui generis: a unity between subjects which, from reciprocal action, leads to a ‘generative social mechanism’, existing beyond the parties involved and overabundant. The results of the two studies presented in the article offer further evidence to support this hypothesis. The article highlights the existential and professional perspective with which social workers approach the challenging task of helping vulnerable individuals. Elements of social love have been highlighted that contribute to making professional assistance more sustainable and effective, moving away from neoliberal and managerialist approaches that often ignore the emotional and relational dimensions. Social love fuels motivation for positive change despite social and personal limitations and risks of failure. Full article

One to four million annual premature deaths are associated with household air pollution. This indoor pollution is mainly generated by traditional biomass cookstoves. Thus, solar cooking can significantly reduce this toll. Its proliferation would also mitigate deforestation pressures. Additionally, for developing countries, it would alleviate the fuel collection workload, mainly borne by women responsible for fuel collection. Electric cooking provides a clean and controllable alternative to thermal cookers for indoor food preparation, sterilization and heating. This study presents a minimal, off-grid photovoltaic solar cooker that operates without batteries and power electronics. Such a cooker constitutes a low-cost and high-reliability solution for electrically decentralized locations. The system encompassing the cooker is conceived as an accessible entry point for household-level photovoltaic (PV) adoption. So, it offers the potential to catalyze the uptake of clean-energy technologies and to support sustainable development. The proposed design dissipates PV power into heat using commercial positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistors operating near their Curie temperature. A simplified theoretical model is formulated to easily estimate the thermal power and heat-transfer conductances required for achieving cooking temperatures. An instrumented prototype allows for characterizing the transient temperature evolution during controlled heating and cooling experiments in the laboratory, facilitating development in an initial step avoiding the PV panel. The results demonstrate that the minimal PV configuration is technically feasible, robust, and compatible with low-resource settings. This encourages its adoption in communities experiencing energy poverty. Full article

This study investigates how future climate change will alter heating and cooling demand in UK social housing, addressing wider concerns about fuel poverty risks and long-term climate resilience. Using a two-bedroom, offsite manufactured home in Northwest England as a case study, the research applies dynamic building performance modeling to assess energy use. This output then uses a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tool to inform the choice of the weather file in the simulation process. The simulation weather files represent the 2030, 2050, and 2080 climate scenarios. The results show a clear shift from heating-led demand toward increasing summer cooling requirements. These changes have implications for grid capacity, occupant wellbeing, and the affordability of energy services. The analysis demonstrates that weather file selection significantly affects predicted performance outcomes. The study concludes that accurate weather file choice is essential for reliable Building Performance Simulation (BPS). It underscores the need to integrate environmental, social, and economic considerations into future housing design. Full article

Discourse on the issue of fuel subsidy removal has become a pressing issue amongst concerned stakeholders and scholars with divergent views on the subject. This present study therefore explores the contributing role of the fuel subsidy removal on sustainable growth in Nigeria spanning 2010–2022. This was achieved by investigating the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on sustainable growth. Different econometric strategies, including the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL), along with fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) techniques, were employed and further validated the robustness of the outcomes. The results revealed that the removal of the subsidy would have a long-term positive impact on the Nigerian economy. This was substantiated by the estimated coefficients of fuel subsidy as a proxy of subsidy removal, energy consumption and fuel export, which consolidate these discoveries. These findings were further consolidated by the coefficients of fuel imports, fuel price, exchange rates and inflation, which are negatively and significantly related to economic growth but positively significant for poverty, except for exchange rate, which was insignificant. The empirical outcomes indicate that taking away fuel subsidies in Nigeria reduces the excessive fiscal spending and borrowing needed to support oil importation in the economy, which results in increased foreign reserves and enhances national infrastructural development, foreign direct investment and currency appreciation, thus leading to more sustainable growth. This study offers new insights for policymakers, investors and other stakeholders on the importance of formulating efficient fuel subsidy policies and sustainable development goals (SDGs) for Nigeria. Full article

Though the European Commission has repeatedly stated that the necessary energy transition in Europe should leave “no one behind”, this paper describes a building refurbishment case that has entailed economic hardships for the low-income families involved. The project is located in the area of P. D. Orcasitas in southern Madrid, led by a grassroots neighbours’ movement, comprising one hundred and seven housing blocks, containing more than 2000 dwellings. The main source of funding for the operation consists of subsidies granted by the Madrid City Council; however, Spanish legislation requires the state Agency of Tax Administration to classify these subsidies as capital gains derived from lucrative transfers. Based on the tax data of vulnerable beneficiaries, the conclusion is that the recipients have ended up returning part of the subsidies to the State through their Income Tax Return. In addition, the Spanish Social Security Institute requires the return of social benefits associated with non-contributory retirement pensions and the Minimum Living Income. Apart from tax accounting, regulations are revised to draw conclusions. Unlike most actuations of this kind, in this case the negative effects are obvious. Although intended to alleviate fuel poverty, the initiative has exacerbated vulnerability due to the impact of the imposed penalties on household income. In conclusion, unless preventive measures are implemented, the mandatory refurbishment of inefficient buildings may place an undue burden on vulnerable low-income occupants and hinder the effective implementation of energy-efficiency regulations. Full article

This study proposes an integrated analytical framework (IAF) as a tool to simultaneously assess vulnerable social groups within their administrative context. This study hypothesizes that analyzing vulnerable groups through socio-spatial delineation reveals subnational disparities and sub-regional heterogeneity in energy poverty (EP) indicators, associated with additional context-sensitive environmental consequences of energy use. Using Hungarian deprived rural settlements (DRSs) (n = 300) as an example, mixed methods were applied to examine national–regional disparities, intra-regional variations, and the environmental implications of extreme household energy use practices. Results show that both socio-economic indicators and building energy efficiency, and energy-use profiles, fall short of national indicator performance. The sample outlined by the IAF performed homogeneously regarding socio-economic circumstances and showed mild differences in housing quality and energy access. These results indicate not structural differences but variation in underlying regional drivers, highlighting the region-specific manifestation of EP. The energy-use-related environmental assessment was performed using a parametrized building-stock model and the two most extreme energy-use scenarios for households relying on solid fuels. The results suggest that the use of substitute fuels substantially increases the combined emissions of CO₂, CO, PM, NOx, and SOx by up to 32 percentage points. Although limitations constrain the reporting of empirically representative results, findings underscore the potential policy relevance of DRSs in national climate objectives. Full article

This paper examines the relationship between FinTech and sustainable development in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) using a mixed-methods approach. It combines survey data from professionals in banking, insurance, and manufacturing with policy and industry literature. Using PLS-SEM complemented by macro-level regression robustness analysis, the study analyzes how FinTech, blockchain, green finance, and financial inclusion influence sustainability. Findings show that FinTech and blockchain both significantly enhance sustainable performance, especially when combined. Green finance and financial innovation mediate and strengthen these effects. The research also highlights FinTech’s role in advancing key UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including poverty reduction (SDG 1), gender equality (SDG 5), and economic growth (SDG 8), through broader financial access. However, the study warns that without proper safeguards, financial inclusion could raise CO₂ emissions due to increased fossil fuel use. It emphasizes the need for strong regulation, trust, and infrastructure, and recommends aligning digital finance with environmental goals and boosting digital and environmental literacy. Full article

Social cohesion and inclusive growth constitute the central pillars of the European Commission’s policy agenda. Meanwhile, the recurrence of energy crises exacerbates the living standards and raises the structural inequalities across European households. This paper exploits a Generalized Structural Equation Model (GSEM) to identify the effects of macroeconomic and political factors on the volatility in energy poverty. By moving beyond static levels, we examine volatility as a distinct dimension of vulnerability capturing the exposure to short-term shocks in energy affordability. The analysis is founded on a sample of 27 European countries between 2003 and 2022. The GSEM approach clarifies the drivers of the endogenous covariates, that is, the channels through which macroeconomic and political conditions are transmitted to energy poverty volatility. By decomposing the effects into within-country(cyclical) and between-country (structural) components, we find significant relationships that offer valuable insights for the design of effective policy measures. Economic expansion, higher public spending and household expenditure on maintenance of dwellings are directly linked with higher energy poverty volatility. Howbeit, political stability exerts a stabilizing effect, reflecting the importance of institutional quality and government effectiveness. Significant indirect mechanisms transmitted through growth reveal that cyclical expansions, inflationary pressures and short-term fiscal consolidations fuel energy poverty volatility. Growth, inflationary and tax-based driven volatility reflect asymmetrical effects on vulnerable consumers and rising energy deprivation in times of macroeconomic pressures. The results offer valuable evidence for the implication of effective fiscal and institutional policies that shield households from energy vulnerability and ensure affordable access to energy. Full article

Housing stock is observed to be associated with high carbon emissions, high fuel poverty and low comfort levels in the UK. Retrofitting the housing stock is one of the best solutions to address these problems. This paper directly corresponds with human and planetary health in terms of climate change, human health and mental health by addressing the challenges of housing retrofit at scale. Retrofitting houses can also contribute to social equity, reduced use of planetary resources and better financial and physical comfort. Despite the availability of the right technology, government grants and the potential to acquire supply chain and skilled labour, the progress of retrofit is extremely poor. Importantly, the UK is off track to achieve net zero by 2050, and the housing stock contributes 18.72% of the total emissions. The problem is further exacerbated by the 30.4 million units of housing stock. Robust strategies are required to retrofit the housing stock at scale. The study uses a qualitative modelling method under the diffusion of innovations theory to formulate a retrofit-at-scale strategy for the UK. Findings recommend focusing on skill development, show homes, research and innovation, supply chain development, business models, government grants and regulatory tools in a trajectory from 2025 to 2050. The proposed strategy is aligned with the segments of the diffusion of innovation theory. Although the analysis was performed with reference to the UK, the findings are transferable, considering the broader and urgent concerns related to human and planetary health. Full article

A large and growing empirical literature documents that privatization, deregulation, financialization, and under-regulation of harmful industries are associated with adverse health outcomes in the United States. However, this evidence remains fragmented across sectors and rarely articulates a unifying causal framework. This paper advances the literature by integrating findings across health care, harmful-product industries, and economic and social policy to demonstrate that corporate profit maximization functions as a cross-cutting driver of health disparities and premature mortality in the United States. We synthesize evidence showing that profit-driven incentives shape insurance markets, hospital and physician practice ownership, pharmaceutical marketing, and the aggressive promotion of tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed foods, opioids, firearms, and fossil fuels—together contributing to more than one million deaths annually. We further document how corporate influence over public policy has increased poverty, economic inequality, and discrimination, all of which are powerful social determinants of health. In contrast to sector-specific analyses, this paper presents a unified, systems-level account of how profit-first governance undermines population health. We conclude by describing how a social movement to achieve a single payer system that provides Medicare for All would not only vastly improve public health, it would be a catalyst for numerous other reforms that enhance the general wellbeing. Full article