Exploring Residential Energy (In)Justice Across Race, Class, and Place

Abstract:  The inability of households to afford adequate energy services is a major justice concern. Temporary utility bill assistance or improving residential energy efficiency remain the primary strategic interventions. However, program design and implementation often occur in piecemeal, individual-based approaches, with little attention to the importance of race and place. This presentation focuses on the distributional injustices in various residential energy dynamics (i.e. energy efficiency and solar) and illustrates how disparities intersect with policy and pervasive residential segregation by race/ethnicity and class in the United States.

Bio:  Dr. Reames is an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability. He is director of the Urban Energy Justice Lab, a JPB Environmental/Harvard Health Fellow, and a 2019 Grist 50 Fixer. Dr. Reames has degrees in civil engineering, engineering management, and public administration. His research in energy justice, investigates fair and equitable access to energy that is affordable, reliable, and clean, and seeks to understand the production and persistence of spatial, racial, and socioeconomic disparities in residential energy dynamics. He is also a licensed professional engineer and US Army veteran.