Patterns of inequalities in housing energy efficiency and links with population risk factors in Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius

Abstract

The introduction of the EU Emission Trading System in the residential building sector poses a risk of increased energy poverty, particularly during the energy crisis. Energy poverty disproportionally affects different population groups due to the vulnerabilities to price changes and underlying inequalities of access to energy-efficient housing. Thus, monitoring the inequalities associated with housing energy efficiency is important for facilitating just energy transition. To evaluate the current patterns of inequalities in access to energy-efficient housing, the study develops a machine learning-based modelling framework to mitigate the limitations of the existing data availability on building-level energy performance. The study applied the developed methodology to assess the building energy performance in three cities – Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius – to further identify the inequalities associated with access to energy-efficient housing between the different population groups. The study identified that within the context of the three capital cities, the existing inequalities related to access to energy-efficient housing can be understood through the prism of the spatial unequal distribution of occupational groups, particularly in relation to low occupational groups, and the housing market segmentation.