ECR presentation by Anne Baudaux

1. Living under domestic energy
deprivatisation in Brussels:
when your life become a file
2GENDERS project, Brussels qualitative part, 2013-2017
Anne BAUDAUX, Université
Catholique de Louvain

2. Outline
2GENDERS project
Brussels context
Methodology
The « file » feeling
Primary conclusions

3. The 2GENDERS project
Multidisciplinary project on energy poverty involving the universities of
Louvain (BE), Antwerp (BE), Mons (BE) and Birmingham (UK).
Coordination: F. Bartiaux (UCL, BE)
Founder = BELSPO (Belgian Scientific Policy Office)
A mixed-method research
Objectives:
describe & quantify energy poverty in Belgium
deliberate possible interventions
Focus on associated vulnerabilities (health, mobility, social relations…)
A « qualitative research team » for each Region

4. People living under the poverty line in Belgium,
based on 2013 income (from Brussels report on
poverty 2015, Observatory for Health and
Wellbeing):

5. Brussels context
536 km / 333 miles from Manchester
19 municipalities, a “public social action centre” in each
one

7. Brussels context
536 km / 333 miles from Manchester
19 municipalities, a “public social action centre” in each
1,187 890 citizens (Brussels Institute for Statistics and Analysis, 2016)
23.5% of people between 18 and 64 are depending on public
allowances (social barometer 2015)
38.4% of people in Brussels are at “risk of poverty or social
exclusion” (social barometer 2015)
44,332 households are on a waiting list for a social dwelling (social
barometer 2015)
~90% of dwellings to rent are not accessible for the 6 first income
deciles (Brussels rent observatory, 2013)

8. Brussels context
In 2013,
10.2% of the first 5 income deciles have declared being in energy poverty (“having
financial difficulties stopping them from being able to comfortably heat their
dwellings”)
11.1% were diagnosed as living with “hidden energy poverty” (meaning they have a
very low energy consumption)

9. Brussels context
(From Brussels Institute for Environmental Management, energy study 2012)
% of dwellings built between 1981 and 2001

10. Methodology
Fieldwork since March 2014 among social workers, in
“energy cells”, non-profit associations, attending debates,
conferences and “energy saving tips” worshops.
Interviews with 18 people living under domestic energy
deprivatisation
Criteria: difficulties paying energy bills, problems with
humidity or insulation, under-consumption, proceeding to get
renovation allowances,…

11. The « file » feeling
Last few years, massive appearance of
energy units
“energy houses”
Information offices linked to municipalities
Associations proposing advice
Seems to indicate a certain (feeling of) complexity

12. The « file » feeling
Reported difficulties:
 Understanding one’s bill
 Knowing about one’s rights
 Finding out which service to turn to
 Frequent problems after a move
 Difficulty in getting a dwelling because of racism or
social allowances, points to collect for waiting lists
 Fraud, misleading advertising, dishonest suppliers…

13. The « file » feeling
“At the end you
lose ground…”
(Man, 48, unofficially
subleasing a room in a flat)
“I’m becoming a
manager”
(Woman, owner, going through 8
years of procedures against energy
supplier because of her tenants not
paying their bills)

14. I said “but, I gave everything already [to the
previous social worker], you're now in charge of
my case, didn’t she give you the file?” sounds
logical… “No, I have to start all over”. So I said
okay, and again the same documents, the same
copies (…) in two years I only saw her 3 times. 3
meetings of half an hour in 2 years!
(Woman, 61, widow, owner of a house, living
with her daughter and grand-son)
“Well, if I would receive
that kind of mail [you sent
to the plaintiff], even
myself,I wouldn't know
what to do” (Judge of Peace,
Molenbeek, to the energy supplier attorney)

15. I was under pressure, I had to build a file, to call
the contractors, to check the works in progress,…
it was a little too much. (…) I was so afraid to
make a mistake, to forget something, a
document, and having to give the money back… I
fell into a depression. (…) it’s not even the fact I
had to run all the time, or the tiredness. It’s the
stress that we keep inside, you can’t manage to
sleep, but life goes on and it’s just one thing
after another: the children, the school, my job,…
plus [the renovation proceeding going on]. Yes,
it’s hard.
Here it really is by word-of-
mouth: “I heard there is a
bonus, you should go to this
place”… there is not a lot of
information.
(Woman renovating her house, 2
children, 50)
(Woman renovating her house, 4 children,
43)

16. Primary conclusions
Observation: more and more people needing advice and/or financial
help
Answers: many things are done, but with what efficiency/visibility?
Different strategies: associative world and institutional tools
 Tendency to blame the poor: they should save energy, they do not
react fast enough, they fool the system, they do not pay attention to
environment, they do not mobilise the social tools available to them.
Inequality in front of the juridical system, and the administration
(question of education, network, self confidence, and not only
financial resources).

18. THANK YOU !
« Brussels from the sky », Yann Arthus-Bertrand