Profiles
Phillipa Watson
Phillipa Watson
Research Fellow
Room 408 , Geography Building
+61 3 6226 7228 (phone)
Dr Phillipa Watson is a Research Fellow (for the Associate Executive Dean) in the Syndicate of Technology, Environments and Design (TED). She has have worked to facilitate sustainable change in built environments and the community for over 20 years, integrating design understanding with socially and environmentally focused research. Phillipa has been with UTAS since late 2006.
Biography
Phillipa has worked in various roles during her career, in particular in research (at UQ, CSIRO and UTAS); sustainable building consultancy (at Brisbane City Council and RED sustainability consultants); housing design (through private practice); and, the development of sustainable assessment tools for built environment professions (in Brisbane City Council, CSIRO, CRC for Construction Innovation). All her work has provided insight into and supported smart and sustainable change for people and the building, technologies and resources they use.
In research Phillipa has explored change and adaption of people, technologies, buildings and resource supplies; and creating socially equitable change. Through her interdisciplinary, mixed methods research she has explored in-depth energy use and provision, energy efficiency, housing quality, housing performance, home management practices, low-income household challenges, creating sustainable built environments, home and building occupant health and wellbeing, materials and product performance, decision-making for sustainability, adaptation and transitions, community change, and related policy issues.
Projects have included ‘Get Bill Smart’, which investigated a novel approach to supporting energy efficient change in households living with low incomes in Tasmania; and ‘The CONSORT Bruny Island Battery Trail’ which explored householder responses to trading energy from their batteries with the electricity grid, during times of peak electricity demand. Current research includes investigations of the use of Augmented Reality in building, design and manufacturing industries; Industry transformation in Tasmania; regional climate change adaptation; cross cultural research in South East Asia and community and housing development approaches for a low-income community in Tasmania. Phillipa is also currently involved with a team who are investigating how Islanders around the world engage with climate change and decolonialisation.
Career Summary:
- Research Fellow at UTAS, Hobart, Tasmania 2013 to present – Various applied research projects on topics described above, aiming to support sustainable change, including for housing and for householders, in technology development and in energy supply.
- Senior sustainability consultant, RED Sustainability Consultants, Hobart, Australia, 2008-2018 – Sustainable decision-making and assessment, home sustainability, community resilience, housing compliance assessment and material impacts.
- Research Assistant, UTAS, 2008-2013 – On the social research topics environmental sustainability in the private rental market, adaptation of dwellings and households for comfort and energy efficiency, and smoke effects from planned burns on community health.
- Doctoral Scholar, UTAS, 2006-2013 – In the School of Geography and Environmental Studies, investigating drivers and impediments of and practices for sustainable housing adaptation in Tasmania for low-income householders.
- Environmental Scientist, CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology with the Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation, 2003-2005 – Life cycle assessment and user needs research for a building environmental assessment tool, stakeholder communication with building product industries and other related professionals, and other built environment research.
- Designer, Private Practice, Queensland, 2003-4, – Activities included design, documentation, specification and contract administration, environmental design consultation, environmental briefing, sketch design, concept design, and environmental building guidance.
- Environmental Implementation Officer & Integrated Solutions Coordinator, City Design in Brisbane City Council, 2001-2003 –Facilitated implementation of sustainable initiatives with a range of built environment professionals at council, including embedding important sustainable features in projects and contributing to energy code and efficiency initiatives.
- Research Assistant, Dept. of Architecture, UQ, St Lucia, 1998-19
www.linkedin.com/in/phillipa-watson-6b722733
Career summary
Qualifications
| Degree | Title of Thesis | University | Country | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PhD | Dwelling adaptation for sustainability: Improving interventions for energy efficiency, comfort and equity in Tasmania | University of Tasmania | Australia | 2013 |
| BArch (Hons) | Materials Investigation: A Built Environment Tool for Australia | University of Queensland | Australia | 1999 |
Teaching
Housing policy; design; sustainability; decision making; adaptation and transition; dwelling; housing quality; homemaking; housing disadvantage; household experiences; dwelling practices; community change
Teaching expertise
Post graduate supervision including in social research and qualitative methods, housing quality and architectural science, social (individual, community and organisation level) aspects of transitions (including in housing and renewable energy supply), energy efficiency in homes, applied action research (eg in communities or with housing change), social technical projects, and human geography. Undergraduate tutoring in sustainable housing.
Research Appointments
2018 - Appointment as Research Fellow to the Head of School of Technology, Environments and Design, now to the Associate Executive Dean of the Syndicate of Technology, Environments and Design, University of Tasmania.
2013 – Appointment as Research Fellow in Housing and Community Research Unit, Social Science, University of Tasmania.
Research Invitations
2019 – Invited to present at the Energy Research Institute Council for Australia (ERICA) State of Energy conference, 3-4th July. ERICA is a peak body for energy research, presentations were invitation only.
2019 – Invited to be on the discussant panel, Board Stakeholder Forum 2019: Hobart, Energy Consumers Australia.
2019 – Invited with Professor Evan Franklin to present ‘CONSORT Bruny Island Battery Trial: Social and Technical Outcomes’ at the Energy Consumers Roundtable, 27th Feb, Hobart Function and Conference Centre. The roundtable is a strategic group observing energy supply transitions in Australia.
2018 – Invited to assist with final stages of EnergySmart research and reporting as expert assistance.
2017 – Invited presenter of ‘Too Hot, Too cold: thermal comfort, thermal stress and energy use in homes’ at the Energy Consumers Australia Board Stakeholder Forum Hobart, 19th April.
2016 – Invited to assist with TasNetworks Tariff Trial research planning and methods.
View more on Dr Phillipa Watson in WARP
Expertise
Socio-technical transitions and future energy transitions, dwelling practices, housing adaptation, design and adaptation decision making, housing policy, housing quality; healthy housing, homemaking, housing disadvantage, household experiences, community change, energy efficiency and energy productivity, sustainable built environments, behaviour-change, and equitable social change.
Research Themes
Phillipa's interdisciplinary research aligns with the University's research themes of 'Environment, Resources and Sustainability', 'Better Health', ‘Creativity, Culture and Society’. Her work, which broadly investigates sustainable and technical transitions using a social lens, often works to support social equity, human wellbeing and environmentally sensitive outcomes. Her work also aligns with the theme 'Data, Knowledge and Decisions' due to much of her research requiring understanding of decision-making processes at individual and organisational scales and acknowledgment of how data collection may affect low income and potentially vulnerable groups of people.
Collaboration
Phillipa has extensive experience working on collaborative projects that involve multiple organisations. Two recent examples of collaboration are provided here.
CONSORT Battery Trial (longitudinal social research 2016-2019)
A consortia project investigating using energy stored at households as network support via batteries, during peak load times. This project examined how the electricity network can work with householder-owned battery systems to help manage the network more efficiently, especially during periods of peak electricity demand. Phillipa was a key researcher on the social research team for this project, overseen by Assoc. Professor Heather Lovell, and was also a key collaborator with all other organisations involved. The project was funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency ($2.89 million) and, with substantial in-kind contributions, has a total project value of $7.99million. The consortium was made up of researchers and innovation engineers from The Australian National University (ANU), The University of Sydney (USyd), the University of Tasmania (UTAS), battery control software business Reposit Power and network provider TasNetworks. Final reporta are available at http://brunybatterytrial.org/ .
Get Bill Smart (longitudinal impacts research 2013-2016)
Get Bill Smart was a consortia project funded by a competitive grant provided by the Australian Government’s Low Income Energy Efficiency Program (LIEEP). With an overall budget of $1.4million for the consortium, the research team at UTAS, was funded $360,000. This was an action-research project that investigated the effects of energy efficiency support provided to low income householders in Greater Hobart, in Tasmania. It measured changes to household energy use, thermal comfort, affordability and wellbeing. Phillipa was heavily involved in the design and execution of this project and contributed as a Research Fellow and as Chief Investigator (2016). Reports are available at http://www.slt.org.au/get_bill_smart .
Awards
- 2018 - CONSORT Trial awards (x4) - Energy Networks Australia Industry Innovation Award; Engineer’s Australia – Tasmanian Engineering Excellence Award; Clean Energy Council’s Community Engagement Award; and Energy Project of the Year by the Electric Energy Society of Australia (EESA) (http://brunybatterytrial.org/). Mention was made of the innovative social research on the Trial and its influence in the granting of the awards.
- 2016 - The Get Bill Smart project won the Environment Award, Tasmanian Community Achievement Awards: Ricoh Business Centre Hobart Environment Award for Get Bill Smart Project (Mission Australia, Sustainable Living Tasmania, University of Tasmania and RED Sustainability Consultants). http://www.utas.edu.au/sustainability/sustainability-performance/sustainability-related-awards/awards
- 2005 - Marketing Award for Financing and Innovation in Growth (FIG) Course for investigation into commercialization of research.
- 2004 - CSIRO Team Award for excellence in research for the LCADesign assessment tool.
- 2003 - 2nd prize Thuringowa Climatic Responsive Housing Design Competition group design, Queensland..
Bursaries, scholarships and funding awards:
- 2020 - Funding for travel and accommodation for the Energy Consumers Australia Foresighting Forum due to research specialty, 19-20th Feb.
- 2019-2020 - Funding to attend an internal UTAS Women in Leadership course. This was workshop based and spanned four two-day workshop sessions. I was nominated to attend this course.
- 2016 - Institute of Sustainable Change support to attend Perfect Pitch professional development course. This was a 2-day intensive course that focussed on improving confidence, presentation and professional impact. This was supported by the Institute for Social Change, UTAS. Nominated and funded to attend.
- 2016 - High Flyer Bursary to participate in ‘An interdisciplinary approach to living in a risky world: Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank 2016’, on interdisciplinary solutions for Risk and Resource Allocation in the Environment, Australian Academy of Science, Canberra.
- 2014 - Writing Away Retreat, University of Tasmania, The Bahá’í Centre of Learning, Hobart, Sept 1-5th. Won a place and was funded to attend.
- 2011 - Competitive Bursary - Early Career Researchers Conference with Australian Climate Change Adaptation Research Network for Settlements and Infrastructure.
- 2010 - Competitive Bursary - Early Career Researchers Conference with Australian Climate Change Adaptation Research Network for Settlements and Infrastructure.
- 2006 - Doctoral research scholarship, funded by School of Geography, University of Tasmanian and Office of Energy, Tasmanian Government.
Current projects
In 2021, Phillipa is involved in a variety of research projects including:
- Review of the Strengthening Communities approach to Clarence Plains community and housing development. Review for Mission Australia Housing. Collaboration with Mission Australia. Chief Investigator – Dr P. Watson.
- Investigation of Augmented Reality use in brick construction as co-investigator. Chief Investigator – Dr M. Sawyer
- Research of Southern Regional Climate Change Adaptation in Tasmania – collaboration with Tasmanian councils and their Regional Climate Change Initiative, as co-investigator. Chief Investigator – Prof Jason Byrne
- Industry transformations with universities – as part of the Industry transformation research group, with contributions from stakeholders, as a co-investigator. Chief Investigator –Dr A. Lin.
- Expanding climate change research in South East Asia (including an exploration of Indonesian-Australian research cultures), as a co-investigator. Chief Investigators – Dr R. Harris and Dr A. Lin.
- Islands and Anthropocene project investigating Islander perspectives and experience from around the world, as co-investigator. Chief Investigator- Prof E. Stratford
Fields of Research
- Sociology and social studies of science and technology (441007)
- Architectural science and technology (330105)
- Social policy (440712)
- Human geography (440699)
- Interior design (330108)
- Other built environment and design (339999)
- Urban geography (440612)
- Social geography (440610)
- Research, science and technology policy (440710)
- Land use and environmental planning (330404)
- Social change (441004)
- Environment policy (440704)
- Environmental assessment and monitoring (410402)
- Urban sociology and community studies (441016)
- Housing markets, development and management (330403)
- Electrical engineering (400899)
- Ecosystem function (410203)
- Cultural geography (440601)
- Architectural design (330102)
- Urban policy (440714)
- Urban design (330411)
- Mathematics and numeracy curriculum and pedagogy (390109)
- Other Indigenous studies (459999)
- Physical geography and environmental geoscience (370999)
- Natural resource management (410406)
- Social program evaluation (440903)
- Consumer-oriented product or service development (350602)
- Urban and regional planning (330499)
- Environmental law (480203)
- Secondary education (390306)
- Higher education (390303)
Research Objectives
- Residential energy efficiency (170103)
- Residential building management and services (120105)
- Smart grids (170309)
- Environmentally sustainable energy activities (170599)
- Residential construction design (120205)
- Renewable energy (170899)
- Energy services and utilities (170303)
- Expanding knowledge in human society (280123)
- Climate change adaptation measures (excl. ecosystem) (190101)
- Public health (excl. specific population health) (200499)
- Other culture and society (139999)
- Social impacts of climate change and variability (190103)
- Public services policy advice and analysis (230204)
- Community services (230199)
- Hydrogen production from renewable energy (170704)
- Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences (280111)
- Environmentally sustainable construction activities (120699)
- Other construction (129999)
- Social ethics (130304)
- Residential construction processes (120505)
- Consumption patterns, population issues and the environment (190201)
- Expanding knowledge in built environment and design (280104)
- Environmental lifecycle assessment (190204)
- Other education and training (169999)
- Energy storage, distribution and supply (170399)
- Health status (incl. wellbeing) (200407)
- Energy transformation (170499)
- Climate change mitigation strategies (190301)
- Teaching and instruction technologies (160304)
- Pedagogy (160302)
Publications
Phillipa has published on a range of topics, and regularly contributes to academic papers and applied industry, government and social and non-government organisation research reports. Topics Phillipa has explored include housing adaptation for sustainability, everyday practices in homes, thermal comfort, energy efficiency, housing disadvantage, householder responses to distributed energy innovation and housing stock quality.
Total publications
32
Journal Article
(10 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Stratford E, Stewart S, te Riele K, Watson P, 'Making sense of school learning environments as infrastructures of care and spatial typologies', Australian Geographer, 52, (1) pp. 43-63. ISSN 0004-9182 (2021) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1080/00049182.2020.1846260 [eCite] [Details] Co-authors: Stratford E; Stewart S; te Riele K | |
| 2020 | Ransan-Cooper H, Lovell HC, Watson P, Harwood A, Hann V, 'Frustration, confusion and excitement: mixed emotional responses to new household solar-battery systems in Australia', Energy Research and Social Science, 70 Article 101656. ISSN 2214-6296 (2020) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2020.101656 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 2Web of Science - 1 Co-authors: Lovell HC; Harwood A; Hann V | |
| 2019 | Lovell H, Watson P, 'Scarce data: off-grid households in Australia', Energy Policy, 129 pp. 502-510. ISSN 0301-4215 (2019) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.02.014 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 1 Co-authors: Lovell H | |
| 2018 | Lovell H, Hann V, Watson P, 'Rural laboratories and experiment at the fringes: case study of a smart grid on Bruny Island, Australia', Energy Research & Social Science, 36 pp. 146-155. ISSN 2214-6296 (2018) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2017.09.031 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 7Web of Science - 6 Co-authors: Lovell H; Hann V | |
| 2018 | Lyth A, Spinaze A, Watson P, Johnston FH, 'Place, human agency and community resilience - considerations for public health management of smoke from prescribed burning', Local Environment, 23, (10) pp. 975-990. ISSN 1354-9839 (2018) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1080/13549839.2018.1508205 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 3Web of Science - 1 Co-authors: Spinaze A; Johnston FH | |
| 2017 | Watson P, Watson S, 'Warm house, Cold house: a review of measures of thermal comfort used in Get Bill Smart's energy efficiency assessments', Energy Procedia, 121 pp. 190-197. ISSN 1876-6102 (2017) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1016/j.egypro.2017.08.017 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 2Web of Science - 1 | |
| 2015 | Watson P, Gabriel MB, Rooney M, 'Get bill smart: A community partnership approach to supporting low-income households to achieve home energy savings', Indoor and Built Environment, 24, (7) pp. 867-877. ISSN 1423-0070 (2015) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1177/1420326X15591637 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 2Web of Science - 2 Co-authors: Gabriel MB; Rooney M | |
| 2013 | Gabriel M, Watson P, 'From modern housing to sustainable suburbia: how occupants and their dwellings are adapting to reduce home energy consumption', Housing, Theory and Society, 30, (3) pp. 219-236. ISSN 1403-6096 (2013) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1080/14036096.2013.775183 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 14Web of Science - 12 Co-authors: Gabriel M | |
| 2012 | Gabriel M, Watson P, 'Supporting sustainable home improvement in the private rental sector: the view of investors', Urban Policy and Research, 30, (3) pp. 309-325. ISSN 0811-1146 (2012) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1080/08111146.2012.673484 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 5Web of Science - 3 Co-authors: Gabriel M | |
| 2010 | Gabriel M, Watson P, 'The environmental sustainability of Australia's private rental housing stock', AHURI, Online, (145) EJ ISSN 1445-3428 (2010) [Refereed Article] Co-authors: Gabriel M |
Chapter in Book
(3 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Sawyer M, Watson P, 'AR-assisted brickwork', Materiality 2020: brick and block in contemporary architecture, Dry Press Publishing, R Ringer (ed), NSW, Australia, pp. 1-4. ISBN 9780994492937 (In Press) [Research Book Chapter] Co-authors: Sawyer M | |
| 2018 | Altmann E, Watson P, Gabriel M, 'Environmental Restriction in Multi-Owned Property', Multi-Owned Property in the Asia-Pacific Region: Rights, Restrictions and Responsibilities, Palgrave Macmillan, E Altmann and M Gabriel (ed), United Kingdom, pp. 119-136. ISBN 978-1-137-56988-2 (2018) [Research Book Chapter] DOI: 10.1057/978-1-137-56988-2 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 2 Co-authors: Altmann E; Gabriel M | |
| 2016 | Gabriel M, Rooney M, Watson P, ' The best house possible': The everyday practices and micro-politics of achieving comfort in a low-cost home', Housing and Home Unbound: Intersections in economics, environment and politics in Australia, Routledge, N Cook, A Davison, L Crabtree (ed), London, UK, pp. 151-166. ISBN 9781138948976 (2016) [Research Book Chapter] DOI: 10.4324/9781315669342 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 1 Co-authors: Gabriel M; Rooney M |
Conference Publication
(10 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Nath S, Dewsbury M, Watson P, Lovell H, Kunzel H, 'A bio-hygrothermal mould growth analysis of typical Australian residential wall systems', Proceedings of the 54th International Conference of the Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA), 26-27 November 2020, Auckland, New Zealand, pp. 1-11. ISBN 9780992383572 (2020) [Refereed Conference Paper] Co-authors: Nath S; Dewsbury M; Lovell H | |
| 2019 | Nath S, Dewsbury M, Watson P, Lovell HC, 'Are condensation and mould problems in Australian homes arising from the Australian building regulations?', Building Physics Forum Programme, 23-24 October 2019, Melbourne (2019) [Non Refereed Conference Paper] Co-authors: Nath S; Dewsbury M; Lovell HC | |
| 2017 | Kompas T, Crossley P, Nicol S, Bland L, Chauvenet A, et al., 'Risk and Resource Allocation in the Environment', An Interdisciplinary Approach to Living in a Risky World: Recommendations from the 2016 Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank, pp. 9-11. ISBN 9780858475298 (2017) [Refereed Conference Paper] | |
| 2010 | Watson Phillipa, 'Barriers to renovation for housing sustainability in Tasmania', School of Geography & Environmental Studies Conference Abstracts 2010, 28 June 2010, Sandy Bay (2010) [Conference Extract] | |
| 2009 | Stratford E, Watson Phillipa, 'Critical mix: champions, capacity and complexity in Glenorchy's Energy Rebate Project. Lessons for policy makers', Radical Ideas in a Changing Climate. Remaking Suburbia: Research and policy directions for sustainable home improvements, March, Melbourne, pp. 11-12. (2009) [Conference Extract] Co-authors: Stratford E | |
| 2008 | Stratford E, Davison AG, Watson Phillipa, Elliott C, 'Barriers to Renovation for Housing Sustainability in Tasmania', Proceedings of the 2008 World Sustainable Building Conference, September, Melbourne, Victoria, pp. 370-377. ISBN 978-0-646-50372-1 (2008) [Non Refereed Conference Paper] Co-authors: Stratford E; Davison AG; Elliott C | |
| 2008 | Watson Phillipa, 'Housing improvement for sustainability in Tasmania: who is involved what are they doing, and what has been the effect?', School of Geography and Environmental Studies Conference Program 2008, October 2008, Hobart, pp. 19-20. (2008) [Conference Extract] | |
| 2007 | Watson Phillipa, 'A little effort goes a long way: looking at improvements to Tasmanian housing stock', School of Geography and Environmental Studies Conference Program 2007, October, Hobart, pp. 19-19. (2007) [Conference Extract] | |
| 2007 | Watson Phillipa, 'Understanding the mechanisms of sustainable housing renewal in Tasmania: a qualitative method', 2nd Australasian Housing Researchers' Conference Program 20th - 22nd June 2007, June, Brisbane, pp. 23-23. (2007) [Conference Extract] | |
| 2007 | Watson Phillipa, Watson S, 'Eco-Renovation Research Through Practice: Environmentally Sustainable Renewal of a 1950's Suburban House', 2nd Australasian Housing Researchers' Conference Program 20th - 22nd June 2007, June, Brisbane, pp. 23-24. (2007) [Conference Extract] |
Contract Report, Consultant's Report
(3 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Alexander J, Gabrielle M, Houstein T, Rooney M, Watson P, et al., 'Get Bill Smart Final Report', Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, Australia (2016) [Contract Report] | |
| 2016 | Lovell H, Watson P, 'TasNetworks Tariff Trial Method Review - Phase One', TasNetworks, Australia (2016) [Consultants Report] Co-authors: Lovell H | |
| 2016 | Lovell H, Watson Phillipa, 'Tariff Trial Survey Design', TasNetworks, Tasmania (2016) [Consultants Report] Co-authors: Lovell H |
Thesis
(1 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Watson P, 'Dwelling adaptation for sustainability: improving interventions for energy efficiency, comfort and equity in Tasmania' (2013) [PhD] |
Other Public Output
(5 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Rooney M, Watson S, Watson P, 'Get Bill Smart: Detailed Study Report', University of Tasmania; Sustainable Living Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania (2019) [Government or Industry Research] Co-authors: Rooney M | |
| 2019 | Thiebaux S, Chapman A, Franklin E, Fraser A, Gordon D, et al., 'CONSORT Bruny Island Battery Trial: Project Final Report - Project Results and Lessons Learnt', Australian National University, The University of Sydney, University of Tasmania, Reposit Power and TasNetworks, Hobart, Tasmania (2019) [Government or Industry Research] Co-authors: Franklin E; Hann V; Harwood A; Lovell H | |
| 2019 | Watson P, Lovell H, Ransan-Cooper H, Hann V, Harwood A, 'CONSORT Bruny Island Battery Trial: Project Final Report - Social Science', Australian National University, The University of Sydney, University of Tasmania, Reposit Power and TasNetworks, Hobart, Tasmania, April (2019) [Government or Industry Research] Co-authors: Lovell H; Hann V; Harwood A | |
| 2016 | Watson P, Lovell H, 'TasNetworks Tariff Trial Recruitment Strategies Review', TasNetworks, Tasmania, pp. 1-21. (2016) [Government or Industry Research] Co-authors: Lovell H | |
| 2008 | Watson Phillipa, Cooper CH, 'Saving energy starts at home', Unitas: News from the University of Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, 323, September (2008) [Media Interview] Co-authors: Cooper CH |
Grants & Funding
Funding Summary
Number of grants
8
Total funding
Projects
- Description
- The EnergySmart project, being delivered by the Australian Energy Foundation and funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Victoria, is an energy efficiency housing upgrade project seeking to make improvement in both energy efficiency and in health for occupants. Dr Maria Yanotti and Dr Phillipa Watson are providing critique and advice on methods, analytic processes, interpretation of the data and the report. EnergySmart has undertaken multiple initiatives on public housing stock to and with their occupants (tenants) to support energy outcomes efficiency, including providing building shell upgrades, appliance replacement and education to households in Victoria and is measuring the outcomes of these upgrades and behaviour change education. This research is exploring a range of initiatives to discover the most effective types of support that can be provided to public housing tenants across Victoria.With a range of initiatives rolled out to 1500 dwellings, analysis and reporting for this project is complicated. Dr Watson is providing support based on her experience working on energy efficiency housing intervention research projects and Dr Yanotti is providing support based on her experience with energy related economic statistical analysis.
- Funding
- Australian Energy Foundation ($13,000)
- Scheme
- Contract Research
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Watson Phillipa; Yanotti MB
- Year
- 2020
- Description
- First stage of research by UTAS to explore approaches used and impacts/outcomes of Mission Australia Housings (MAHs) support programs in Clarence Plains, Tasmania. The programs in Clarence Plains by MAH are part of Tasmanias Better Housing Future work, which is supported by Housing Tasmania. This first stage of research with UTAS focuses on taking stock of and understanding available data and stakeholder critiques, in order to evaluate MAH approaches taken in Clarence Plains. Insights generated in this first stage of research will assist with the development of the next stage of research, which will be tethered to MAHs Better Housing Future tender (due in December 2020). Stage two research will be undertaken as part of the next stage of Better Housing Future work.Aim of the work: UTAS researchers are to review and assess approaches taken, and impacts of, Mission Australia Housings Better Housing Futures and Missions Australias (MA) Strengthening Communities programs in Clarence Plains (Clarendon Vale and Rokeby) in Tasmania. Insights gained will inform program design for the next stage of MAHs work in Clarence Plains.
- Funding
- Mission Australia ($20,000)
- Scheme
- Contract Research
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Watson Phillipa
- Year
- 2020
- Description
- This project aims to build collaborations with Indonesian partners. It will bring together experts in regional climate modelling, climate impacts and adaptation, governance and urban planning to discuss ways in which effective climate adaptation could be accelerated in regional centres in Indonesia and Australia. Using workshops that include Australian and Indonesian climate and adaptation specialists, and thematic analysis of these discussions, we will:1. Assess the availability of climate information across regional Indonesia, identify the most critical needs for information and the potential for developing future regional climate models projects;2. Prioritise regions in Indonesia for future adaptation research; and3. Identify common adaptation needs and differences that may highlight novel approaches transferable across regions4. Create a stakeholder map of climate and adaptation specialists available to engage in further work.
- Funding
- Department of Education ACT ($5,000)
- Scheme
- Travel Grant - PhillipsKPA - SEA
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Harris R; Watson Phillipa
- Year
- 2020
- Funding
- University of Tasmania ($2,338)
- Scheme
- null
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Harris R; Elliott C; Watson Phillipa; Warman R; Lin C
- Year
- 2020
- Description
- Lack of financial literacy and energy literacy have negative impacts on people from vulnerable communities, which limit their ability to make informed decisions about energy use and management of associated financial obligations. Supporting improved financial and energy literacies is particularly relevant and urgent as energy costs are increasing and taking up larger, often unaffordable, portions of household budgets. Currently, the Australian Government is negotiating with energy providers to ensure regular communication with consumers about potential energy savings. Although these negotiations may benefit consumers, it is unlikely that changes in pricing alone will foster more discerning energy usage in consumers who already lack energy literacy. Poor financial and energy literacies will continue to create significant barriers to consumers being able to understand and make use of communication from energy providers. The research will seek to answer:1. What is the intersection of energy and financial literacies in the community?2. In what ways do people draw upon their personal energy and financial literacies when making decisions about the use of energy?3. What are possible learning interventions that could influence, support, and impact decision-making and energy use behaviours? This project will lay the foundations for an ARC Linkage Grant application in collaboration with Aurora Energy. It will draw on research conducted already as part of the Get Bill Smart project, conducted by Dr Phillipa Watson and colleagues, funded by the Department of Industry, Innovation, and Science.
- Funding
- University of Tasmania ($11,680)
- Scheme
- Grant - CALE Hothouse Alignment Scheme
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Fitzallen NE; Watson Phillipa; Fraser SP; Dungey MH; Yanotti MB
- Year
- 2018
- Description
- Review of tariff trial approach, sample size and overall trial method robustness (Phase One). 1. A review of the 600 household sample size, including discussion of its main opportunities/advantages and limitations. 2. A brief review of up to 10 other publically available tariff trials in Australia, including gathering data on sample size, location, and other key methodological characteristics. This is to benchmark the proposed Tasmania tariff trial, providing comparison of the sample size and experimental design against other similar trials completed within the Australian electricity market. 3. Methodological review of the experimental design. 4. Highlighting of any significant problems with the experimental design (show stoppers) in the methodological review. 5. Suggestion of modifications that could be made to the experimental design to ensure robustness, and of any further activities or approaches that will encourage robustness. This consultancy involves advising on the research approach being only. We are not involved in data collection or analysis.
- Funding
- Tasmanian Networks Pty Ltd ($7,787)
- Scheme
- Consultancy
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Lovell HC; Watson Phillipa
- Year
- 2016
- Description
- UTAS will be assisting TasNetworks to develop a survey tool for the Tariff Trail. UTAS will do this by a) running a workshop to develop survey topics, and b) drafting survey questions for review by TasNetworks. The survey is being developed in May and June 2016 for use at the start of Phase One of the Tariff Trial. This is Phase 2 of UTAS assistance.The survey being developed will be sent to householders along with the terms and conditions for the tariff trial. It is a before survey that is to be filled out prior to advanced meter installations in participant homes. This before survey will be coupled in data analysis with an after survey that will be developed at a later date
- Funding
- Tasmanian Networks Pty Ltd ($15,520)
- Scheme
- Consultancy
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Lovell HC; Watson Phillipa
- Period
- 2016 - 2017
- Funding
- Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency ($348,807)
- Scheme
- Grant-Low Energy Efficiency Program
- Administered By
- University of Tasmania
- Research Team
- Gabriel MB; Watson Phillipa
- Period
- 2013 - 2016
Research Supervision
Current
4
Completed
1
Current
| Degree | Title | Commenced |
|---|---|---|
| PhD | Healthy Built Fabric Systems for Zero Energy Residential Buildings | 2019 |
| PhD | The Retrofit of Existing Low Grade Housing to Provide Low Energy and Healthy Built Environment Outcomes | 2020 |
| PhD | A Study of Socially Sustainable Environments in Social Housing | 2020 |
| PhD | Geographies of Informal Place-based Human Networks of Care, Support, and Flourishing | 2021 |
Completed
| Degree | Title | Completed |
|---|---|---|
| PhD | ARENA CONSORT Smart Grid Pilot: Governance, implementation, and the utility-prosumer interaction Candidate: Veryan Anastasia Joan Patterson | 2020 |