The Impact of Affordable Home Features on the Energy Burden in Low-Income Households in the US
Publication: Computing in Civil Engineering 2023
ABSTRACT
Of US households, 44%—about 50 million—are defined as low income. Low-income households (LIH) typically inhabit affordable homes, often the poorest-quality housing units. Compared with other properties, affordable housing is less energy efficient. Because of high affordable housing energy bills, low-income households face a disproportionately high energy burden, that is, the percentage of household income spent on utility costs. Therefore, much more attention is required to develop efficient long-term solutions to reduce the energy burden in low-income households. This study aims to investigate this issue by providing a statistical analysis of how the energy-related characteristics of affordable homes impact the energy burden in low-income households. The 2019 American Housing Survey data has been used in this study to represent the US housing stock. The results show that the average energy burden in low-income households is 11.0%, three times higher than in non-low-income households (3.5%). The results of this study can enhance the awareness of policy-makers, urban planners, and building designers toward designing and creating more energy-equitable decisions.
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Published In
Computing in Civil Engineering 2023
Pages: 962 - 970
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Published online: Jan 25, 2024
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