Our Research
Energy Insecurity
A pioneer in the field, Dr. Hernández’ has defined and operationalized the concept of energy insecurity and led foundational research in this emerging field. Defined as the inability to adequately meet household energy needs, energy insecurity affects millions of households in the US and around the world.
The energy insecurity phenomenon is comprised of three primary dimensions:
- Economic- disproportionate share of household income allocated to utility expenses
- Physical- deficient and inefficient housing structures that impact comfort and costs
- Coping- energy-related behavioral and adaptive strategies to manage physical and economic hardship
There are chronic and acute forms of energy insecurity. Climate change, economic volatility and the ongoing energy transition influence this phenomenon. Importantly, because this issue occurs behind closed doors, it remains hidden in plain sight.
Housing and Health
Housing that is affordable, stable, in sound condition and in a high opportunity neighborhood optimizing life chances. These four pillars of housing- costs, conditions, consistency and context- are thus the basis for health and social equity. As Dr. Hernández described in a special issue of the American Journal of Public Health on Innovations in Health Promotion, ‘housing-based health interventions’ leverage the physical, social and spatial dimensions of multiple unit housing to promote health, address proximal risks and reach populations of interest.
Hernández has developed a line of research evaluating the impact of place-based interventions on the health and well-being of the poor and underserved. These interventions include:
- Physical improvements to the built environment
- The impact of natural disasters in public housing communities
- Spatially-based tobacco control policies targeting residential and neighborhood environments
- The delivery of services within housing settings
