Brenda Boardman

Brenda is an Emeritus Fellow at the ECI following her retirement in September 2008. At the ECI, Brenda was the former head of the Lower Carbon Futures team and a co-director of the UK Energy Research Centre. Her research has always focused on how to achieve demand reduction in energy in UK households.

Brenda's primary research emphasis has been on energy efficiency and the problems faced by low-income households, i.e. fuel poverty. She considers the economic, social and technical aspects of the subject and her work has a strong policy emphasis. She is widely viewed as one of the most experienced in her field and was awarded an MBE in 1998 for her work on energy efficiency and received the Energy Institute's Melchett Medal in the same year.

Brenda's second book, Fixing Fuel Poverty: Challenges and Solutions examines why the numbers of households in fuel poverty are rising. A situation that has continued with the increase in energy prices since 2020. Many of the lessons from the UK are germaine to other countries also experiencing worsening fuel poverty, particularly in Eastern and Central Europe. The European Commission requires action on fuel poverty in all Member States, through the revised Electricity Directive. Brenda has given numerous presentations about fuel poverty to professional, academic and campaigning audiences in the UK and across Europe.