Splodge Two: Lory Barile "My collaborACTION journey..."

Hi, I am Lory,

for those who don’t know me already, I am an economist and interdisciplinary researcher with a passion for driving real-world impact through my work. My most recent research explores how people-centred approaches and participatory methods shape policymaking, using behavioural insights to address key societal challenges, including climate action and sustainability. Passionate about engagement and sustainability, I have designed, led and delivered participatory projects that translate research into action, empowering individuals and communities to make informed decisions. Whether working on housing retrofitting, pro-environmental behaviours, or policy interventions, I thrive on bringing diverse perspectives together to create meaningful change.

In February I officially started a project titled “Using Virtual Reality (VR) for Empathy Building in Housing Retrofitting and Sustainable Living Through Participatory Design”, recently funded by UKRI, Design Accelerator, Round Three.

Using Virtual Reality to Drive Sustainable Housing Retrofitting in Coventry

Retrofitting homes for energy efficiency is a critical step toward achieving net-zero carbon emissions, yet many households remain hesitant to adopt available schemes. Coventry, where over 20% of households experience fuel poverty, faces significant challenges in encouraging residents to engage with retrofitting programs despite government funding and incentives.

To address this, I have created an innovative project, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Warwick, Coventry City Council (CCC), Act On Energy (AOE), and Destination Ball Hill (DBH), to test the use of Virtual Reality (VR) technology to enhance public engagement and break down barriers to sustainable living.

Reimagining Retrofitting through VR

The project builds on the success of Retrofit Rocks, which explored participatory approaches to housing retrofitting, and aimed at increasing awareness and uptake of schemes and measures available to make our homes in Coventry more energy efficient.

The VR project takes engagement a step further by using VR experiences to immerse residents in a fully retrofitted home, allowing them to visually and experientially understand the benefits of energy-efficient upgrades such as insulation, solar panels, and improved heating systems.

Through interactive workshops, the project will:

· Empower residents by providing firsthand experience of energy-saving benefits via VR and sharing their perspectives with council officials on equal footing.

· Address socio-demographic barriers by identifying concerns and challenges faced by different household groups.

· Encourage behaviour change by increasing confidence in available grants and funding schemes.

Community-Centred, Evidence-Based Design

Unlike traditional awareness campaigns, this project adopts a participatory design approach, ensuring that residents are actively involved in shaping the research and engagement process. By collaborating with local community hubs like DBH, the project fosters trust and accessibility.

The project will feature co-creative workshops in Ball Hill, Coventry, a region significantly affected by fuel poverty. These workshops will:

· Use VR simulations to demonstrate real-life scenarios of retrofitted homes.

· Collect qualitative and quantitative data on barriers to retrofitting adoption.

· Provide practical guidance on navigating government retrofitting grants.

A Blueprint for Future Policy and Practice

By using immersive digital technology to bridge the gap between policy, research, and community engagement, this initiative aims to serve as a scalable model for other cities facing similar challenges. The findings will provide valuable insights for policymakers and energy providers, helping to tailor retrofitting initiatives to be more inclusive and impactful.

With Coventry’s commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050, this VR-driven approach has the potential to reshape how communities engage with sustainability, making energy-efficient homes not just an environmental necessity, but a tangible, accessible reality for all.

Project team:

Dr Lory Barile (Project Lead)

Dr Adela Glyn-Davies (Project Co-L)

Robert O’Toole (Project Co-L)

External stakeholders:

Coventry City Council

Act of Energy

Destination Ball Hill

How did I get here?

I began collaborating with Coventry City Council at a pivotal moment, that is when the world was emerging from one of the greatest challenges in recent history, the COVID-19 pandemic. With a deep passion for sustainability and behaviour change, I organised an event for the ESRC Festival of Social Sciences, held on November 16, 2021. The panel discussion, “A Nudge in the Right Direction,” brought together experts and practitioners to explore the challenges and opportunities in shaping a new normal. I embraced these challenges as opportunities for collaboration and growth. Around the same time, I attended COP26 at the end of November 2021, an experience that was both eye-opening and deeply emotional.

It was there that I truly realised my job is to serve society and apply my knowledge and expertise in behavioural and environmental economics to create meaningful change. I felt a profound responsibility to contribute to the very foundations of the world we live in, shaping a more sustainable and equitable future.

I feel privileged to do work that I am passionate about, grateful for a loving family, and deeply aware of those who cannot raise their voices. We owe it to underrepresented and less privileged communities to amplify their needs. More personally, I felt I owed it to my daughters, to lead by example and build a world where they can thrive.

It was also during this journey that I met a truly inspiring person, India Holme, who reaffirmed the power of connection and shared purpose. Energetic, enthusiastic, and deeply empathetic, India brings an unwavering passion to her work. But more than anything, she is a force of nature: driven, unstoppable, and capable of igniting ideas with the intensity and energy of a volcano. Her passion, dedication, and encouragement throughout this journey played a key role in bringing my Retrofit Rocks and VR projects to life. I truly think this India…thank you once again for all your support and help over the past two years.

While Retrofit Rocks came with its challenges, it was an incredibly rewarding experience, one that taught me not only from others but also about myself. One moment that will always stay with me was hearing a child from Radford Primary School ask, after our final participatory workshop with adults, “And now, what’s next?” as he walked out of school. The enthusiasm and positive energy I have received from them is truly priceless. My hope is that those pupils will go on to create change, shaping a better world for all.

I am incredibly proud of what I have achieved so far and looking forward to the months ahead to discover the valuable insights the VR project will bring.

I hope my story will inspire you to develop other interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary initiatives, aligning with the objectives of this fantastic network that India and colleagues have worked hard to establish. So, don’t wait anymore, collaborACT!

For more details on the retrofit project, visit: Warwick’s Place-Based Research Initiative A link to the retrofit project video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSVrdQ7bOv4Link opens in a new window Retrofit Rocks has been commended by the Local Government Association (LGA), the national voice of local government, as an innovative way to change behaviour and engage residents to support the Regional Retrofit Action Planning Programme, as part of the Sustainability West Midlands strategy, working alongside the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Act On Energy (LGA, 2023).