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Clean, Silent Energy Whenever You Need It

Sitting on the dock on a quiet evening, it’s easy to take electricity for granted. It’s silent, odourless, and always available… until the power goes out. Francois Byrne is an engineer who has spent years developing power backup and replacement systems that work silently and with no fumes, supplying power when the hydro grid goes down, and even replacing that grid entirely with a solar- or wind-powered battery system. He is the owner of Hybrid Power Solutions. “We’re a Canadian manufacturer, specializing in attractive, easy-to-use power systems that work seamlessly and supply as much power as our customers need, no matter where they are,” says Francois. That might mean powering tools and equipment on a construction site or a mine located far from the electrical grid, or a military site or a film shoot where the noise of generators is unacceptable. And it can mean powering a bunkie that’s beyond reach of hydro lines, or providing silent backup power for homes and cottages. Power Tower For whole-home power supplies, Francois recommends the Power Tower. “Our Power Tower is a scalable system that’s incredibly easy to use,” says Francois. “There’s no maintenance, no fuel to buy. You simply wire it in to your home and forget about it.” Solar panels allow the Tower to supply power regardless of whether the electrical grid is operating. “It’s a great way to help offset the cost of hydro or get completely off the grid,” Francois explains, adding that wind turbines can also feed in to the Power Tower. “And when the power grid goes down because of a storm or some other reason, the system just keeps on supplying energy.” “It’s a power backup system that actually pays for itself over time.” Whole home or portable options The Power Tower is capable of offering 6,000 watts of continuous power and up to 18,000 watts of surge power at 120- and 240-volts, plenty of power to make true off-grid living a reality. As many as 15 lithium-ion batteries can be connected to the wall-mounted control unit. “We work directly with our customers to help them find the best power solution for their situation,” says Francois. Hybrid Power Solutions also offers smaller, more portable units that are suitable for boats and trailers and RVs, as well as smaller cabins and bunkies. “You still want power when you’re at the lake or in the woods, but you want it to be silent,” says Francois. “That’s what we supply. No fumes, no noise, no fuss – just clean, reliable electricity wherever you need it to be.” Originally published in Muskoka Life Magazine.

Environmental scientist on heat wave in western U.S.

Jonathan Gilligan, Associate Professor of Earth & Environmental Science and Civil & Environmental Engineering at Vanderbilt University, is available for commentary on the recent heat waves and how climate change plays a role. Professor Gilligan's research focuses on global climate change and environmental policy. He also serves on Vanderbilt's Climate Change Research Network, which focuses on the reduction of carbon emissions from individuals and households. He can speak to how climate change is affecting our temperatures and future related trends we might see.

Social Class At Work

Social class has a significant role to play in career success in the United States. A growing body of research is shedding disquieting light on the extent to which working class Americans face discrimination in recruitment, pay and promotion – despite having a college degree. This demographic is up to four times less likely to get hired, 34% less likely to accede to leadership roles, and earns around 17% less on average than counterparts from middle or upper-class backgrounds. But while research is starting to document how class can impede or accelerate professional success, it remains unclear why these discrepancies exist. What are the mechanisms or dynamics at play that make it so much tougher for working class people to succeed than others? Goizueta Business School Assistant Professor of Organization & Management Andrea Dittmann has an interesting hypothesis. She believes that employees from different backgrounds can bring inherently different strengths and weaknesses to the workplace; advantages and disadvantages that speak to certain norms governing how we think about work and leadership. And it boils down, she says, to the way we work with others. “People from working-class backgrounds—those with blue-collar parents, who might be the first in their family to get a college degree—typically relate a certain way to other people. They are better connected to others, more team-like in their approach, than their middle-class counterparts who see themselves as more independent or unique,” says Dittmann. This team spirit could be working against lower-class employees, she says, in the sense that they see themselves or are perceived by bosses as being less adept at working autonomously or as individuals within organizations; and are therefore viewed by others as less poised to advance into roles of greater responsibility. On the flip side, this very capacity to work well with other people could actually give working class employees an advantage in team-based activities or cultures; an advantage that might translate into concrete benefits for organizations. To put this to the test, Dittmann conducted a series of studies aimed at unpacking how individuals perceive themselves within the context of work, and at the interactions that occur between employees and the workplace. Among these studies were qualitative interviews with MBA students from different social class backgrounds about their experiences navigating white-collar workplaces after graduating from college. She also ran a number of experiments to assess how well working-class people performed in teams and individually, and how environments that prioritize collaborative dynamics or interdependence might produce better experiences and outcomes for employees than environments geared to working individually or independently. A full article detailing Dittmann’s work is attached here and offers very compelling research showing how social class plays out in the workplace. It covers important aspects such as: The Catch-22 of Working Well with Others “It’s a kind of catch-22. Working class kids don’t make it into the gateway settings of school or college as much as middle-class kids in the U.S. They are significantly underrepresented in leading business schools like Goizueta, at roughly 15% of the student population,” she notes. “So, the higher-educational context—the talent pool for corporate America—is very much geared to a different social demographic and dynamic; one that inherently favors independent work ethics and approaches and sees them as the norm. Other ways of working, collaborating, and contributing risk are being undervalued as much as they are underrepresented.” When Considering Diversity, Companies Stand to Benefit “We know that companies that are more diverse perform better than others, and diversity needs to extend to social class. What my research and others are showing is that people from a working-class background tend towards behaviors that are more relational, that they are better at working together. If they fail to make it into the workforce in a more representative fashion, companies are basically missing out on opportunities to form better teams.” Faculty research like Dittmann’s is a critical element in Goizueta Business School’s drive to develop principled leaders who are better prepared to engage in the business of tomorrow. If you are interested in learning more, then let us help. Andrea G. Dittmann is an Assistant Professor of Organization & Management at the Goizueta Business School. She is an expert in the areas of diversity and inequality, particularly employees' social class backgrounds, aiming to promote equity and inclusion at work. Dr. Dittmann is available to speak with media about this research – simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.

Crossing Space and Time at Japan Society's 2021 Annual Dinner

On June 22, Japan Society celebrated its 2021 Annual Dinner, raising over $1.3 million to take us into the next year and beyond. It was—literally and virtually—a star-studded evening at the intersection of science, art, culture, business, and the U.S.-Japan alliance. After a special message from Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, the program included a conversation between former JAXA astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, the second Japanese woman to fly in space, and Ambassador Caroline Kennedy—marking the 60th anniversary of President Kennedy's Moonshot Address, followed by a performance from Japan's Ryoma Quartet. The keynote Fireside Chat brought together two titans of industry, our very own Chairman Joseph Perella, Chairman Emeritus, Perella Weinberg Partners and private equity pioneer Henry Kravis, Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of KKR—also the recipient of this year's Japan Society Award. Mr. Kravis underscored the value of investing in long-term relationships throughout his talk with Mr. Perella, noting, "You have to be patient. You have to set your mission. You have to have a focus on ESG (environmental, social, and governance). Any company today that is not focusing on their ESG and on diversity of their workforce is not going to have much of a future. Today, it's not all about making money. That's a part of it. But it's also very important to ask, 'What are you doing for society, what are you doing to help your country?'" In her conversation with astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, Ambassador Caroline Kennedy cited her father's famous Moonshot Address at Rice University in 1962: "We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too." Yamazaki, who is working to inspire the next generation in aerospace, among other initiatives, is "thrilled to be able to witness the Artemis Program, which is sending the first woman and the first person of color to the moon, with international cooperation. Japan is in charge of the cargo transfer to the Lunar Gateway, the station [that will orbit the moon], and also Toyota and JAXA are developing a pressurized lunar rover to explore the surface of the moon." For Japan Society, the next 50 years will be our own Moonshot, as we move forward into a new post-pandemic inflection point—a significant reopening full of energy and excitement this fall that embodies the best of American and Japanese spirit. It's time to reach beyond the physical space of our landmarked building, which opened to the public 50 years ago in September 1971, re-imagining our enduring mission of connecting American and Japanese people, cultures, and societies across time and space for the next half century. Sixty years ago, President John F. Kennedy's Moonshot Address inspired a generation of Americans to look to the moon in the spirit of adventure, patriotism, and freedom. Today, under new leadership in the United States and Japan, Japan Society starts a new chapter in building our kizuna, our forward-facing energy and deeply interwoven connections, between New York and Japan – and beyond. How do we continue to inspire the next generation of leaders in U.S.-Japan relations? As we think about the next 50 years at Japan Society, much has changed, yet many of the foundations remain the same from our starting point 114 years ago. There's a lot to look forward to as we celebrate significant milestones in 2021-22 and beyond. As Mr. Kravis said, in order to grow and to survive, "You have to keep innovating, you have to keep moving." Japan Society is a convener for the future. With your support, we, too, will overcome the tough challenges facing this world and the U.S.-Japan alliance, together. See you at Japan House and on the far side of the moon! If you missed out on our 2020-21 season, below are some of the highlights. Stay tuned for more exciting events coming this summer and fall, in person and online! Published on June 22, 2021 on Japan Society’s new Watch & Read page.

England’s identity: fans sing football’s coming home, but what is home?

Sport matters to national identity. The pageantry of flags, emblems and anthems (both official and unofficial) load sport with symbolism and imagery of the nation. One of the key reasons governments spend billions of dollars to host sporting mega events is to build or reinforce a sense of national identity. However, national identity is fluid, not fixed. Sport offers an arena in which national identity can adapt and change. In England, where many civic institutions represent Britain as a whole, the men’s national football team is particularly important to English identity. In 1996, the country hosted the European Championships tournament. This coincided with the so-called awakening of English national identity, symbolised by the supplanting of the union flag with the waving of the Saint George’s cross at Wembley football stadium and the singing of a new fans’ anthem, Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home). In recent years, celebrating Englishness has often been linked to a narrow and exclusive imagery, which is said to marginalise ethnic minorities and those with a more socially liberal perspective, and has been tied to a football culture often associated with hooliganism. Yet now, as England have reached the finals of the Euros for the first time, the team and its manager, Gareth Southgate, have put football at the centre of a debate about English identity for the opposite reason. Is a more proud, inclusive version of Englishness emerging? Multicultural teams in a globalised world A recent graphic promoted by the UK’s Museum of Migration shows a stark picture of what England’s starting 11 would look like without immigration over the past two generations. With only three players without a parent or grandparent born overseas, the national team is held up as a microcosm of a diverse, multicultural population (although the absence of England’s significant Asian communities is glaring). To paraphrase historian Eric Hobsbawm, the imagined community of multicultural England seems more real as a team of eleven named people. As Southgate said before the 2018 World Cup: “In England we have spent a bit of time being a bit lost as to what our modern identity is. I think as a team we represent that modern identity and hopefully people can connect with us.” In many ways, this is old news. Sport in England and the UK (akin to national identity) has always been a multinational affair, owing to its colonial ties with the countries of the former British Empire. Whether it was Jamaican-born John Barnes scoring against Brazil in 1984, Kevin Pietersen (South African born) winning the Ashes in 2005, or Greg Rusedski (Canadian born), Johanna Konta (Australian born) or, more recently, Emma Raducanu (Canadian born) performing at Wimbledon, British sport has long reflected its colonial history and the tensions and contingencies that brings. Nor is this issue unique to England or the UK. In 1998, the French World Cup-winning team was both celebrated and attacked by pro- and anti-migrant voices for the multiracial makeup of their “rainbow team”, as a large proportion of its players – including its star Zinedine Zidane – had ethnic backgrounds in former French colonies in Africa and the Caribbean. The imperial legacies of Belgium, Netherlands and Portugal are also evident in the diversity of their respective squads. Beyond former colonial powers, most national teams are now more ethnically diverse than they were 30 years ago, due to globalisation and the naturalisation of foreign athletes. England’s quarter-final opponents Ukraine have fielded Brazilian born players Júnior Moraes and Marlos this year, and their captain Andriy Yarmolenko was born in Russia. In addition to historical, cultural and linguistic connections, there is a clear performance imperative: teams that embrace ethnic diversity often outperform teams that don’t. ‘Englishness’ and immigration What is significant about this moment is the wider political context in the UK – particularly the uncertainty over what is “English” national identity and, critically, what should it be. All this comes amid the fray of polarised debate over the issues of immigration and race in England, and the UK more generally. The prospect of a tighter, points-based system of immigration, which has now been introduced, was one of the key themes of the Leave campaign in the 2016 EU referendum. Had such a system been installed several decades ago, the graphic about the English team’s immigration history may well have been approaching reality. And without the talents of Raheem Sterling, Kalvin Phillips, Kieran Trippier and others, England fans may well have been lamenting another disappointing tournament campaign. Amid the euphoria of reaching a final, there remains much soul-searching, as well as division, among the English on the key questions of “who are we” and “what exactly do we want to celebrate”? Fans, quite rightly, are celebrating the achievements of the whole English team, as well as the activism of individual heroes like Sterling and Marcus Rashford. Yet while many fans embrace the diversity of the team, the booing of their own players taking the knee against racism – a gesture that originated in the US – shows that identity politics can still divide, on and off the pitch. In spite of the positive image of diverse modern England projected by this group of players and manager, it is unrealistic to expect football to navigate the current “culture war” and be able to consolidate a more progressive, inclusive vision of Englishness – at least on its own. Other civic, and possibly political, institutions are needed if England is going to mean more than “the 11 men in white shirts at Wembley”. Notwithstanding how people identify themselves in terms of their nationality, research shows that both hosting a football tournament and making successful progression through it can have a positive impact on national feelings of happiness and well-being. If England beat Italy at Wembley on Sunday and win Euro 2020, a feel-good factor will inevitably abound, which may be a springboard to unite a country that is still deeply divided.

Experts explore the gap between research and practice in disaster management

The COVID-19 pandemic has attracted public attention to crisis management globally, writes Aston University's Oscar Rodriguez-Espindola. Although authorities and international organisations are still actively and diligently trying to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, some of the attention is shifting towards understanding the decisions made and learning from our experience. Indeed, this experience has inadvertently shown different areas for improvement for emergency management systems. The experience gained during the pandemic should lead governments and organisations to refine crisis management processes to prepare for challenges ahead. Leveraging research and specialist groups have been essential to support and inform decisions, as these can provide key insights guiding policy decisions. However, the integration of research and practice should not take place at the response stage only, but as part of the core crisis management system at every stage. It is crucial to maintain and strengthen the relationships between research and practice forged during the pandemic for different emergencies in the future. With the increasing number of different disasters happening and the threats stemming from climate change, it is not surprising that between 1994 and 2013 around 1.35 million lives have been claimed annually by natural disasters. Therefore, the value of partnerships between research and practice needs to be strengthened and implemented globally. Academics from Aston University in the UK and the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente in Mexico have investigated the current status of the integration of research and practice for crisis management. A systematic literature review of decision models for humanitarian logistics has been used to understand the way these models have reflected the real conditions experienced by decision-makers and catered to their priorities. Afterwards, interviews with two civil protection authorities of the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, have been undertaken to understand the conditions faced by them for crisis management, their processes and their view of decision models to support crisis management in the country. Next, a multicriteria decision analysis was used to capture their preferences regarding the objectives set for humanitarian operations to develop an analysis of their priorities. Practice needs to be informed by research, but for that guidance to be impactful, research needs to have a thorough understanding of the conditions and challenges faced by practice. The literature focused on models for humanitarian logistics has shown that the engagement of academics with practitioners in the design of solutions to support decision-making has been declared in less than a quarter of the contributions, as shown in Table 1. That means the design of solutions is based on prior secondary information or founded on a theoretical basis, which is not necessarily reflecting the current reality faced by authorities. It is noteworthy that there is an increasing trend in the number of articles involving practitioners in recent years, with more than half of them published in the previous three years. Despite that growth, however, the relative percentage of contributions incorporating practitioners has never been beyond 40% of all the models published in any year, which highlights that there is still a long way to go to support research development. Table 1: Involvement of practitioners in the design of models for humanitarian logistics Our interviews highlighted that authorities perceive the potential of systems to improve information management forecasting and decision-making, but they also unveiled the concerns about these systems providing unrealistic or unfeasible solutions. Optimisation models are formulations in which a metric is maximised or minimised subject to a series of constraints. If the objective does not reflect the objectives and priorities of decision-makers, then results can be less relevant for decision-makers. For instance, models solely aiming to minimise cost would struggle to give useful solutions to authorities focused primarily on providing support to all the victims equally. Therefore, the lack of involvement from decision-makers can lead practitioners to be cautious about using decision-making models. To examine the link between contributions in the literature and the objectives and priorities of authorities, data about them was gathered and analysed using a technique known as Fuzzy-TOPSIS. The purpose was to identify the importance given to different objectives by authorities for different activities in order to rank them based on importance as shown in Table 2. Although humanitarian logistics are characterised by a focus on the overarching ideas of saving lives and reducing suffering, it is still surprising to note that cost was the least important objective for authorities. Conversely, more than three-quarters of the models surveyed are using cost as the main objective function, which makes it the most prominent objective in humanitarian logistics. As preferences from authorities seem considerably more focused on maintaining a reliable flow of support, with high levels of service and ensuring to reach the most affected population, our findings suggest a misalignment between research and practice. Hence, neglecting to incorporate practitioners in decision-making models for humanitarian logistics can lead to omitting their needs and priorities, rendering the models less effective to provide workable solutions. Table 2: Ranking of objectives from civil protection authorities Additionally, it is important that research guides and influences practice in relevant aspects for further development. For instance, understandably, the chaotic and urgent conditions faced by authorities in humanitarian logistics force them to prioritise response over any other considerations. Our interviews confirmed this, as they mentioned that even though sustainability is becoming a crucial element in regular times, it is undermined by the urgency of the response and only included in recovery activities. This is an aspect worth looking into because research has shown that sustainability can be integrated into crisis management, even with the potential to provide improvements in terms of efficiency. Hence, a more thorough integration between research and practice would allow to positively influence activities on the field based on findings and results proposed and tested by cutting-edge investigations. Overall, our findings suggest that despite the increasing remarks about the intention of joining research and practice, there is still a significant divide between them. Reducing that divide can be beneficial for both sides. More practice-informed research can allow to development of feasible solutions that can enhance the support provided to disaster victims in practice, whereas more research-informed practice can provide stronger foundations for effective decision-making and guide research to focus on key aspects to make it more impactful. Therefore, it is essential to put more emphasis on integrating research and practice from the roots, to make their interaction more fruitful. Current trends seem to be going towards that direction, especially with the current focus on the impact on research, but further efforts are required to motivate researchers and practitioners to work together to improve crisis management. This article was co-written by Oscar Rodriguez-Espindola, Pavel Albores, Hossein Ahmadi, Soumyadeb Chowdhury, Prasanta Dey from Aston University and Diego Chavira and Omar Ahumanda from the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente. This work was supported by an Institutional Links grant, ID 527666998, under the Newton UK-Mexico partnership. The grant is funded by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and delivered by the British Council. For further information, please visit www.newtonfund.ac.uk

Aston University experts look at how cash and social media are part of 'coping with success'

"It's the whole 'money doesn't make you happy' adage... two fifths of football players are bankrupt within 5 years of retirement, while a third divorce in the same period" Professor Andy Lymer, Aston University In this episode, Steve chats to Dr Tahmineh Tayebi and Professor Andy Lymer and the social media abuse and financial responsibility that comes with being a top footballer and athlete. Dr Tahmineh Tayebi looks at the linguistics of social media abuse. She starts by understanding the fans' perspective. They've invested time, money and trust in clubs/players and feel entitled to opinions/criticism - but the issue is the language used. Explicit and hateful language - often racist and/or violent - is the easiest to cope with, as it can be banned. But there's lots of "clever" offensive language which breaks no laws and is difficult to spot but still hurtful. Tahmineh discusses loose boundaries between freedom of expression and bullying. She also points to the recent social media boycott and the BT Hope United project. Professor Andy Lymer looks at the issues faced by wealthy players. He cited interesting research showing 2/5 of football players are bankrupt within 5 years of retirement, while 1/3 divorce in the same period. Players have short careers and either need to earn enough to last them with good advice or need to do something else after playing. However, Professor Lymer says many still quickly burn through their fortunes. He notes Britain is bad at educating people in dealing with money, especially in 'decumulation' - e.g. making it last, planning savings for pensions and downsizing. He points to various government-backed schemes/helplines which can help anyone. The big issue is top footballers attracting long queues of people wanting to advise their slice. Getting the right, trustworthy advice is the problem. In football itself, big clubs are guiding young, vulnerable players as part of their development, and various players' organisations also help, such as a 24-hour helpline. But the stats show us it's not enough, and Andy calls for the sector to do more in education.

MEDIA RELEASE: What Canadian travellers need to know before beginning their next trip.

Orion Travel Insurance highlights how travelling around the world will be different With the recent announcement of relaxed quarantine restrictions for fully vaccinated Canadians, many eager travellers may be considering embarking on international travel as soon as possible. Orion Travel Insurance reminds travellers, that a Level 3 Global Affairs travel advisory remains in effect, and Canadians need to understand the ongoing uncertainty associated with international travel. “Entry requirements can vary by destination whether it be a different province, state or country. Travellers need to monitor those requirements closely and be prepared to carry additional documentation like proof of vaccination, and proof of valid COVID travel insurance,” says Kellee Irwin, Vice President, Orion Travel Insurance. “Many Canadians are excited to resume travelling, however a government advisory to avoid non-essential travel remains in place, and Canadians need to take the necessary precautions to ensure they protect themselves before embarking on their vacation.” With many Canadians now looking to book future vacations, Orion Travel Insurance wants to ensure travellers are protected. As of July 1st, Canadians are eligible for full emergency medical coverage with Orion Travel Insurance, even during a Level 3 COVID-19 related travel advisory, if they are fully vaccinated (having received all doses of a Health Canada-approved vaccine) at least 14 days prior to departure. Irwin advises travellers that insurance policies do vary by provider, and may have changed due to COVID-19, so it’s important to review your policy, and understand what you’re covered for before you travel. “Orion Travel Insurance supports the safe return to travel and recognizes the health and safety of Canadians should remain top of mind. We strongly encourage all travellers to ensure their travel insurance includes appropriate medical coverage, and that they continue to monitor evolving entry requirements of their destinations.” Anyone Canadians travelling in the near future should also consider the following tips: A Level 3 Global Affairs travel advisory remains in effect. Before planning any form of travel, Canadians should take steps to protect themselves and others. Canadians and permanent residents will be able to upload a copy of their vaccine certificates to the ArriveCAN app, allowing them to bypass mandatory hotel quarantine when they return to Canada. Travelling standards will vary by destination, and not all services or businesses may be open, or offer full services. Book your accommodations and activities before you go and check out their protocols in advance. Pack face masks, cleaning supplies, travel-sized snacks, water, and hand sanitizer – not only for the trip, but to have on hand at your destination. Monitor local media and government websites to stay informed of conditions and potential changes to entry requirements at your destination. Update your passport so it is ready when you are. And be prepared to pack additional documentation required for your destination, such as proof of vaccination, negative COVID test documentation, and proof of travel insurance. Insurance policies vary by provider. Review your policy and understand what you’re covered for before you travel. Don’t travel if anyone in your party or household is sick.

Aston University experts explain what it takes to make a champion for EURO 2020 podcast series

"It's the age-old question... you need talent, drive, and luck. I always believed 'attitude' was one of the top attributes to becoming an elite athlete, but I've changed my mind" Professor Gavin Woodhall, Aston University In this episode, journalist Steve Dyson chats to Professor Gavin Woodhall and Dr James Brown about how far our genetic makeup can take us in the journey to becoming an elite athlete, and how attitude makes it all possible. Professor Woodhall looks at the question from a pharmacology and neuroscience angle. He explains the chemistry of the brain, and how neurones are wired to talk to each other. He references the importance of genetic muscle fibres but focuses on how high cognitive brain loads enable feet skills and positioning due to brain synapse connections, "pruned to be more efficient", with proprioceptors unconsciously guiding movement. Dr James Brown looks at the question from a ‘bioscience’ perspective. He explains that there have to be genetic and physical aspects but that these take years to refine, quoting research that ‘it takes 10,000 hours training over ten years to become elite’. He looks at family links and cites interesting monozygotic twin research that disentangles nature/nurture elements. He talks about well-known sports examples in relation to science - Tiger Woods, Robbie Fowler, Usain Bolt, Conor McGregor, Lennox Lewis and various cricketers. He mentions the YIPS (when elite sports stars start losing their edge) and how this can be overcome.

Gas boiler ban: how to make sure everyone can afford low-carbon heating

Most of us only think about central heating when it stops working or when the fuel bills arrive. So reports of an impending ban on gas boilers in the UK – and news that green alternatives such as heat pumps can cost over £10,000 – might have been a nasty shock for many. Most UK households rely on gas boilers, which are more efficient than ever, but still burn fossil fuels. As a result, domestic heating accounts for over a third of greenhouse gas emissions and almost half of energy consumption nationwide. Tackling climate change means changing how we heat our homes. But this is possible without turning warmth and comfort into unaffordable luxuries. Our research has looked at how business models can break this trade-off between people and the planet. One involves reimagining heating as a service. When buying a boiler, a customer typically pays someone to buy and install it. They then sign a contract with an energy company to provide the fuel and find another service provider to fix the boiler when it breaks down. Wouldn’t it be simpler to sign one contract with one company that could guarantee a steady supply of heat? A manufacturer would be responsible for installing the heating system and for ensuring it works. Since the manufacturer would be paid for delivering heat, you wouldn’t be billed for repairs or have to pay steep upfront installation costs – you’d simply have to keep up with flat monthly payments. By aligning the objectives of all parties, “heat as a service” allows the risks and rewards of investing in new technologies like heat pumps to be shared. Fuelling poverty Low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps can go a long way to achieving net zero targets. Unlike a boiler, heat pumps move heat from warm to cold spaces rather than generate it, operating in a similar way to air conditioning. Heat pumps run on electricity and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions if their power comes from low-carbon sources. Waste heat from sewage plants and other facilities can even be redirected to supply home central heating systems with the right infrastructure, such as district heat networks. But most UK homes have gas on tap, and new heating technologies are expensive to install and manage. Much of the required infrastructure needs to be funded. Heat pumps decarbonise home heating by replacing fossil fuel burning boilers. I AM NIKOM/Shutterstock Over two million households in England suffer from fuel poverty. This means that paying fuel bills would leave them with nothing left over for food and other necessities. More efficient, low-carbon heating can bring those bills down, but when faced with the decision to heat or eat, is it fair to expect people to invest in expensive technology? If these technologies are unaffordable, can we hope for the needed revolution in domestic heating? The slow adoption of rooftop solar panels and electric cars demonstrates what a hard sell these technologies can be for cash-strapped consumers. Technology is not enough. Instead, we need to change the business logic for bringing technology into our homes. Heat as a service Digital technology has made it easier for almost everything we use, from music to cars and clothing, to be delivered as a service. Record stores selling albums now compete with online streaming services which offer a vast library of music ready to be played with a monthly subscription. Taxi drivers and car dealers have had to adjust to ride-sharing services and even fast-fashion companies are now threatened by online rental services, which help old clothes find new purpose. Businesses offer software as a service and even manufacturing as a service, which take away the need for upfront investment and unexpected bills and allow customers to access and pay for what they need with a single fee or subscription. Heat as a service does something similar by cutting out the complexity of installing, maintaining and fuelling a boiler or heat pump. In the winter of 2017, over 100 UK homes were offered a heat plan, which guaranteed an indoor temperature for an arranged monthly fee. Customers often struggle to keep track of how much they spend on heating, so the plan offered some peace of mind. The trial involved collaboration between local authorities, an energy company and a boiler manufacturer, plus digital tool providers that helped monitor and control the temperature. Most participants found they were more comfortable and were more likely to consider low-carbon heating on its own, and particularly as part of an arrangement like heat as a service. Paying for heating technologies that are kinder to the planet is likely to be too expensive for lots of people. Relying on households to make these preparations on their own would also be disastrous for decarbonisation. A recent report by the International Energy Agency forecasted that less than 5% of the total emissions reductions needed to reach net zero by 2050 can be expected to come from such behaviour changes among the general public. Rather than expecting households to buy heat pumps, states and energy utilities should offer them low-carbon heating as a service. This article was co-written by Ahmad Beltagui, Andreas Schroeder, and Omid Omidvar, of Aston University