In 2018, we founded Oikoplus in Vienna. At that time, we had gained experience in scientific project work, in journalism and in classic advertising agencies. In doing so, we had the feeling that an interface was missing that specifically connected the communication needs of researchers with the skills of communication solution providers. This interface is…
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Country Update: Poland
Energy poverty is a significant problem in Poland. Before the pandemic, it affected 12% of Poland’s inhabitants. In 2020, the number increased to 21.4%. According to analysts, it was aggravated by job losses and falling wages, especially among people with the lowest and middle income. In Poland, the share of expenditure on electricity, gas and…
Country Update: Ireland
Ireland’s Energy Poverty Strategy estimates that the rate of households experiencing energy poverty in the country falls between 8.8 – 28%, depending on whether this is based on self-reported inability to heat or derived from modelled expenditure and building energy rating data (DCENR, 2016). In 2016, this upper estimate would have been equivalent to 475,000…
Country Update: Belgium
In Belgium, more than one household in five is affected by energy poverty (20.7% of Belgian households in 2019). This value has not varied significantly since 2009. However, there are strong differences between the regions. The vast majority of energy-poor households are single people or single-parent families (almost 70%). Single elderly women (+65) and single…
A Chain-Reaction of Negative Consequences of Living in Energy Poverty
A series of interviews conducted with citizens and stakeholder organisations shows how people experience energy poverty and also the institutional support offered to affected households in seven European countries. “I don’t mind going around the house wearing coats, and lots of jumpers and stuff, I wear long-johns, and then I wear pyjamas over that, and…
Sometimes, Energy Poverty is a Hidden Problem
The EnergyMeasures project uses a behavior change approach to mitigate energy vulnerability in seven European countries. At the halfway point of the project, the question arises: Is the chosen strategy working? Hannah is a married woman and mother of four children in her early thirties. She lives in Turnhout, Belgium, and is studying hard for…
The energy crisis in Europe: current insights
Since the beginning of the year, international energy prices have been rising rapidly. At present, the price increases for gas and electricity are huge. In Germany for example, the price of electricity has risen by 212.5 % since January 2021 and the situation is similar in other EU countries¹. This is mainly due to the…
EnergyMeasures in Eindhoven
One of the EnergyMeasures partners is the Het PON & Telos Foundation from Tilburg in the Netherlands. The foundation works with a team of around 30 multidisciplinary researchers on social issues for local and regional governments in the Netherlands, but also for private sector organizations, banks, care and welfare institutions. The aim of Het PON…
Tips and tricks on keeping your home warm this winter, while saving on energy bills
When the temperatures drop, it is particularly noticeable in one’s own four walls. Having a warm home can be expensive, even more so in the current economic situation of rising energy costs. Especially in times of pandemic, when millions of people work or study from home, the question of how to keep your apartment warm…
Video on Energy Vulnerability (in Dutch)
Our project partner Het PON & Telos have published a video on Energiearmoede in the Dutch Region of Brabant. It can be watched on Vimeo. EnergyMeasures is only one of the project frameworks, Het PON & Telos leverage to fight energy vulnerability in the Netherlands. The foundation analyzes how low income households can become a…