Jan Wisniewski
Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Urban planning, Human geography
Biography
I am a PhD candidate at Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, researching energy vulnerability and residential energy transitions. My work focuses on how households experience and navigate vulnerability during policy-led shifts away from fossil gas, with particular attention to people living in multi-dwelling units (MDUs).
Prior to commencing my PhD, I worked in local government in Melbourne as a Project Officer at the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA), an alliance of eight councils coordinating regional climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives. In this role, I engaged closely with state and local policies aimed at addressing energy stress and vulnerability, particularly in the context of residential decarbonisation.
Before returning to Australia, I worked in Europe in climate and environmental journalism and communications, and completed an MSc in Environmental Sciences and Policy at Central European University in 2022. During my studies, I encountered academic and policy debates on energy deprivation and vulnerability in the European context. Together, these academic and professional experiences motivated my PhD research, which seeks to connect institutional approaches to energy vulnerability with the lived experiences of residents undergoing energy transitions.
Thesis
Energy Vulnerability in Multi-Dwelling Units: Understanding Resident Experiences During Victoria’s Gas Transition
Victoria’s transition away from natural gas is reshaping how households access and use energy, yet its implications for residents of apartments and units remain poorly understood. This thesis examines energy vulnerability — understood as difficulties in affording or accessing adequate energy services — during the gas transition, with a focus on people living in multi-dwelling units.
The research explores how energy vulnerability is defined and addressed by government and industry, and how these institutional understandings align with, or diverge from, residents’ lived experiences. It examines how vulnerability is shaped not only by household income, but by housing conditions, landlord–tenant relations, governance arrangements, and energy infrastructures.
Empirically, the study investigates: residents’ capabilities and autonomy to transition away from gas; everyday experiences of heating, cooling, energy costs, and housing constraints; and the relational dynamics between residents, landlords, energy providers, and other institutional actors. By foregrounding these socio-spatial and relational dimensions, the thesis aims to contribute to more equitable approaches to residential energy transitions that address structural drivers of vulnerability rather than treating it as an individual deficit.
Contact
- Email j.wisniewski@student.unimelb.edu.au
- LinkedIn Profile LinkedIn profile
- ORCID Profile ORCID