The Challenge of Ending Fuel Poverty: A Transition Engineering Research Sprint

Paolo Cherubini, Florian Ahrens, Merlinda Andoni, Benoit Couraud, Jonathan Kilgour, Desen Kirli, Zafar Iqbal, Sonam Norbu, Androniki Papathanasi, Lynda Webb, Susan Krumdieck

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

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Abstract

The pressure to accelerate just transitions to Net Zero is felt across all disciplines. Moreover, researchers face challenges of developing research aims directed at wicked problems that arise in engineering transitions. Engineering research groups in particular face the challenge of incumbency, following their vested disciplinary inquiries when the just transition challenges are transdisciplinary and require new perspectives. Recent research in transition engineering has developed a transdisciplinary process to navigate a solution space that includes long term sustainability goals, social good outcomes and viable technological enterprises. This paper reports the experience and results of the Transition Engineering Sprint process undertaken by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded Decarbonisation Pathways for Cooling and Heating (DISPATCH) project research group to reframe research questions around the just transition issue of fuel poverty. A Transition Engineering Sprint is a methodology using a series of whole-systems explorations which creates a new narrative around wicked problems and unveils a creative space exploring direct routes to transitions. The sprint team included PhD students and Post Docs in energy, power system and transition engineering, along with data and social scientists. The process resulted in uncovering a root cause for fuel poverty and generating exploratory concepts for research in a sandbox. The new concepts re-framed ongoing research activities in the group and opened novel transdisciplinary research agendas. The results of a critical self-reflection exercise show that the Transition Engineering Sprint proved effective and that it can be applied in similar trandisciplinary engineering research contexts.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEngineering For Social Change
PublisherIOS Press
Pages1008-1017
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9781643685502
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024
Event31st ISTE International Conference on Transdisciplinary Engineering 2024 - London, United Kingdom
Duration: 9 Jul 202411 Jul 2024

Publication series

NameAdvances in Transdisciplinary Engineering
Volume60
ISSN (Print)2352-751X
ISSN (Electronic)2352-7528

Conference

Conference31st ISTE International Conference on Transdisciplinary Engineering 2024
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityLondon
Period9/07/2411/07/24

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