School of Water, Energy and Environment (SWEE)

Permanent URI for this community

https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/8737

Browse

Browsing School of Water, Energy and Environment (SWEE) by Subject "10 Reduced Inequalities"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    A data-driven approach to understanding online service access and technological energy injustice among minority ethnic communities
    (American Chemical Society, 2024-09-13) Guder, Mennan; Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye
    In the energy domain, various forms of injustice manifest, spanning distribution, production, access, environmental, economic, social, inter-generational, technological, cultural, and governance realms. This paper delves into the technological injustice regarding online service access by energy suppliers, specifically focusing on its impact on energy poverty among minority ethnic communities. The Ofgem Consumer Impacts of Market Conditions Survey Wave 3 Report highlights significant challenges within the energy market, particularly affecting minority ethnic communities. Despite initiatives to investigate legal services for minority ethnic communities, exploration of online service utilization remains inadequate, creating a significant gap in understanding. This paper proposes a comprehensive examination of online service usage and perceptions within minority ethnic communities to address this research gap. The proposed framework encompasses modules for survey construction, data analysis, Machine Learning (ML) integration, and Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) and simulation. Feature examination reveals correlations between accommodation type and online service satisfaction, influencing simulations. The ABM module simulates how changes in accommodation type affect online service satisfaction, with ML models predicting outcomes. Validation through empirical data and expert knowledge ensures model accuracy. This research contributes to understanding online service experiences, particularly for minority ethnic communities, aiming to empower researchers and service providers to address inequalities effectively. Future work involves expanding the ABM to incorporate threat modelling concepts, providing a tool for assessing and fortifying the security posture of online services for minority ethnic communities.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Sensing spatial inequality of socio-economic factors for deploying permanent deacons in the UK
    (Frontiers, 2024-11-01) Islam, Md Tariqul; Rooney, Paul; McGrail, Peter; Sikder, Sujit Kumar; Charlesworth, Mark
    Integrating spatial inequality perspectives in strategic decision-making can ensure positive impacts on resource distribution for public welfare and sustainable development. This study aims to apply evidence-based approaches in deploying permanent deacons. The empirical case study has been conducted at the St Helens denary of the Liverpool archdiocese, UK. Assisting with charitable works is one of three served areas by the Roman Catholic Church facilitated by deacons. The deployment of permanent deacons could benefit from being evidence-based so that a deacon can serve to ease the socio-economic (e.g., population density, long-term health conditions, housing system, employment status, education level, social status) inequality in the most deprived area. We used geographic information system (GIS) based algorithms, Getis-Ord Gi* for hot spot analysis to find the clustered area by considering the socio-economic factors. The open/freely available government census dataset was found to help extract socio-economic parameters. Furthermore, a GIS-based multi-criteria assessment technique was conducted by applying map algebra (raster calculator) to identify the deprived area with ranks considering multiple socio-economic conditions, where served areas by the existing deacons were considered to constrain. The served areas were estimated by applying network analysis where OpenStreetMap and location existing deacons were used as input. Our empirical case study identified the central and northern parts of the deanery as the most and least deprived areas, respectively. Finally, Liverpool archdiocese could consider deploying new permanent deacons in St Helens denary based on suggested deprivation ranks. Therefore, the appropriate number of deacons in the deprived areas can quickly and effectively respond to the needy and enhance communities’ resilience and sustainable development by ensuring proportionate resource distribution.