The “Domestic Heat Comfort for Energy Poverty and Climate Adaptation” project explores the challenges of energy poverty and heat waves in Istanbul, aiming to provide valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and communities. By combining quantitative and qualitative methods, the project seeks to understand better how individuals and households experience extreme heat and the associated vulnerabilities.
Launched in June 2023, the project utilized citizen science methods to engage 32 households, focusing on groups such as the elderly, women, and children under 14. Heat and humidity sensors were distributed to monitor physical conditions during the summer, while interviews provided qualitative data on participants’ lived experiences.
The findings were compiled into datasets and a report supported by a secondary group of “facilitator citizen scientists,” including higher education students and active citizens. This group contributed to the research design, data collection, analysis, and development of interview questions and home visits.
To strengthen community engagement and collaboration, the project organised two capacity-building activities, fostering discussions on the impacts of rising summer temperatures. A closing event, two podcasts, and a video were also produced to share the project’s findings and raise awareness about the potential health implications of increasingly warmer summers.
The Domestic Heat project was part of the 2023 IMPETUS accelerator programme, and in 2024, they received an honourable mention at the second European Unions Prize for Citizen Science. In this IMPETUS Interview, we talk to Yağız Eren Abanus and delve into the project’s approach, the data collected, and the role of citizen science in addressing energy poverty and climate adaptation.
Learn more about their inspiring work here:
Watch the full interview here:
