The Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change (ISCC) continued its high-profile seminar series with an insightful presentation by Professor Mari Martiskainen on 31 March at the University of Bath. Following the successful opening seminar by Professor Stephen Matlin, this second event reinforced the ISCC's commitment to tackling sustainability from a truly multidisciplinary perspective.

Professor Martiskainen, Director of the £15 million UKRI-funded Energy Demand Research Centre (EDRC) and Professor of Energy and Society at the University of Sussex, shared her vision of how demand-side energy solutions can shape a sustainable, flexible, and comfortable future. Her work exemplifies the ISCC’s core themes of Sustainable Chemical Technologies, Sustainable Systems, and Social Transformation.

In her opening remarks, Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, Co-Director of the ISCC, praised Martiskainen as someone whose career exemplifies successful collaboration between social scientists and engineers, a vital strength as the ISCC seeks to integrate diverse disciplines.

Why energy demand must lead the net zero transition

Professor Martiskainen highlighted the role of energy demand in achieving climate goals, noting that reducing energy consumption is not just about efficiency but about reimagining systems of production, lifestyle, and governance. Her talk explored why focusing on demand is critical to reaching Net Zero and improving overall societal well-being.

As global energy consumption rises, and fossil fuel reliance persists, the EDRC's mission is clear: to place energy demand reduction at the heart of climate strategy. Professor Martiskainen emphasised that this shift must consider not only technical solutions but also the social, cultural, and economic dimensions of energy use.

Interdisciplinary research and real-world impact

EDRC brings together 85 researchers across 14 UK universities, conducting projects that span buildings, transport, industry, and community energy. The Centre’s five core research themes - Futures, Flexibility, Place, Governance, and Equity - reflect a systems-level approach.

Professor Martiskainen shared case studies from EDRC projects, such as the Carbon & Place tool for local emissions tracking, the Energy Flexibility Certificate to assess building readiness for demand shifts, and innovative work on social mandates for diet change, community "welcome spaces", and place-based retrofit strategies. She also discussed EDRC’s commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), highlighting how systemic change must be fair and inclusive to succeed.

Changing the narrative on energy

Professor Martiskainen concluded with a call to reframe the energy debate: to move beyond supply-focused models and consider how demand-side solutions can improve not just energy efficiency, but also affordability, comfort, and justice. She challenged policymakers, researchers, and communities to rethink how we talk about energy use and who gets to participate in the transition.

Following the talk, attendees engaged in a lively Q&A session, touching on the importance of local action, interdisciplinary collaboration, and education in accelerating the energy transition.

Inspiring multidisciplinary solutions

With Professor Martiskainen’s seminar building on the strong foundation laid by Professor Matlin, the aim of the ISCC series is to become a beacon for dialogue and innovation cross multiple sectors, including academia, industry, government, and civil society. As global challenges intensify, the ISCC is demonstrating how collaboration across science, engineering, and social disciplines is essential for creating a sustainable future grounded in systems thinking and human-centred solutions.