Out of Gas, In with Justice: Findings from a gas-to-induction pilot in low-income housing in NYC

Abstract

As cities and states across the United States increasingly commit to building decarbonization, gas stoves are garnering public health attention because, in addition to contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, they may pose a respiratory health risk. Disadvantaged groups, as defined by demographic, socioeconomic, and residential factors, are often late adopters of new technology. To ensure that disadvantaged groups are not left behind from this transition, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, a New York City community-based environmental justice organization, implemented the first pilot of gas-to-electric stove transition in low-income housing. The goal of this mixed-methods study was to evaluate the effect of this intervention on indoor air quality and to characterize the distinct experiences of low-income residents.

Twenty low-income households were recruited and randomized to an intervention (replacement of gas stove with induction stove) and a control arm. Between October 2021 and July 2022, three 168-hr long monitoring campaigns were conducted to assess indoor air quality (NO₂, CO, and PM_2.5) and stove use pre- and post-intervention. The impact of cooking events on indoor air quality was further evaluated during controlled cooking tests carried out in both gas and induction homes. To identify key characteristics of the end-user experience throughout this intervention, participants were invited to join focus group discussions.

Between baseline and endline, 168-hr average NO₂ and CO concentrations decreased in both study arms, likely due to seasonality factors. Still, the induction arm showed a 56 % reduction (95 % CI: −61.9 %, −15.2 %) in mean daily NO₂ concentration compared to the gas arm. During controlled cooking tests, the median background NO₂ concentration (18 ppb) in gas homes rose to 197 ppb and negligibly changed in induction homes. During focus group discussions, participants unanimously reported being pleased with the transition and highlighted quality of life improvements resulting from the unexpected intervention's ability to address energy insecurity concerns.

Taken together, our quantitative and qualitative results suggest that decarbonization energy transitions can improve health by reducing indoor NO₂ but need to extend beyond single appliance swap-out to address health issues resulting from energy insecurity.