The Intersection of Energy and Justice: Exploring the Spatial, Racial, and Socioeconomic Patterns of Residential Heating Affordability, Consumption and Efficiency in Wayne County, Michigan

energy;fuel poverty;energy equity;energy efficiency;Natural Resources and Environment

Bednar, DominicReames, Tony ;

University of Michigan

关键词: energy;    fuel poverty;    energy equity;    energy efficiency;    Natural Resources and Environment;   

Others  :  https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/122696/Bednar_Thesis_July%208%20_%20Final%20Submission.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

Within the Detroit metropolitan area, some residents are crippled by the surmounting utilitycosts making it an arduous endeavor to adequately regulate temperatures in their homes for areasonable cost given their income. Disparities in household income and energy affordability havebeen well studied; however, research on differences in the relationship between race, place andenergy is lacking. This research explores these relationships using data from the U.S. EnergyInformation Administration’s Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS). Regression modelswere developed to predict annual heating energy consumption and energy use intensity (EUI). Fromthese models, data from the U.S. Census Bureau were used to create small area estimates of meanannual heating energy consumption, EUI and energy affordability burden at the census block grouplevel. Results were mapped using geographic information systems (GIS) to identify spatial patternsof energy consumption, efficiency and affordability in Wayne County, Michigan.The results of this study reveal that spatial, racial and socioeconomic disparities in energyaffordability, consumption and efficiency in Wayne County, Michigan exist. Spatial clustering ofheating consumption, EUI and energy burden were evident within the Detroit metropolitan area.Higher levels of EUI and energy burdens were concentrated in the urban center of Detroit, whilelower levels were found in the suburban areas of the county. There are no statistical relationshipsbetween race and heating energy consumption; however, block groups with higher percentages ofAfrican American and Hispanics householders have highly significant correlations with EUI, andindicate higher consumption per square foot. Significant correlations were also found between blockgroups with higher home ownership and income with lower heating EUI.