Lifting the High Energy Burden in America’s Largest Cities: How Energy Efficiency Can Improve Low Income and Underserved Communities

This report provides a snapshot of energy burdens in cities across the US. The authors focus on the high home energy burdens faced by select groups in major metropolitan areas. Years of analysis by the firm of Fisher Sheehan & Colton determined that low-income households pay proportionally more than the average household for energy costs. This analysis builds on this research as it takes a closer look at energy burden in specific household groups. In the first half of this report, the authors analyze data from the US Census Bureau’s 2011 and 2013 American Housing Survey to determine energy burden values for 48 of the largest US cities and specific households within each city. In the second half of the report, the authors discuss strategies for alleviating high energy burdens, with a focus on policies and programs to increase the impact of energy efficiency initiatives in these communities.

• Record URL:
  http://aceee.org/node/3078?id=5244
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2016 Ariel Drehobl and Lauren Ross.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

  529 14th Street NW, Suite 600
  Washington, DC  United States  20045-1000
• Authors:
  • Drehobl, Ariel
  • Ross, Lauren
• Publication Date: 2016-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 56p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cities; Costs; Energy consumption; Households; Low income groups; Policy
• Identifier Terms: American Housing Survey
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Energy; Policy; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01612472
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 2016 9:55AM