Lead Software Developer (Energy), Dr James Lewis, develops the software tools that enable our consultants to undertake innovative analysis for clients as well as applications that can be used directly by users. Currently, he is focused on a retrofit tool that will revolutionise the customer journey for someone looking to retrofit their home…
What is your position at City Science?
I’m a Lead Software Developer at City Science. My role involves developing software tools that support our consultants in delivering reports and analysis for users, as well as applications that go directly to users.
Currently, I’m primarily focused on the retrofit project, which aims to help homeowners make much better informed decisions about energy-efficient upgrades.
How did you come to be working at City Science?
My background is in chemistry, with a PhD from Durham University.
During my PhD, I developed software for analysing the crystalline structure of functional materials. This experience sparked my interest in software development. After completing my PhD, I worked on a program partnership between Durham University and Procter & Gamble, where I gained experience in project administration and research.
I joined City Science after graduating from Durham, attracted by the opportunity to combine my software development skills with a focus on practical applications.
Can you give an example of a project that you’re either working on or have been working on?
One of my most significant projects at City Science is the retrofit tool.
This tool helps homeowners understand potential retrofit opportunities for their homes, such as insulation upgrades or the installation of heat pumps. It provides personalised recommendations based on factors like the home’s energy consumption, budget, and decarbonisation goals.
The goal is to use much more advanced modelling of things like heating zones to help them make an informed decision about where best to spend the money they’ve got available for retrofit to achieve the greatest decarbonisation and the greatest savings on their energy bills.
What motivates you most about the work you do at City Science?
Tackling climate change is almost a given, but I’m also deeply motivated by the potential impact of my work on addressing the cost-of-living crisis and people’s lived experiences at the same time.
For many, addressing climate change and tackling people’s cost-of-living are perceived as competing interests – the general view being decarbonisation is more expensive than leaving things as they are. However, with the cost and impact of carbon change accounted for, that just isn’t the case.
So for me, the ability to create tools that can help people save money on their energy bills while simultaneously reducing their carbon footprint is incredibly rewarding.
When you do get time off, what do you enjoy doing with your free time?
When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my two-year-old son (although these days a lie-in to 5am is considered a good day!).
I also enjoy outdoor activities like climbing and have played a large number of sports, including football and rugby.
I’m a fan of board games and enjoy trying new ones, especially those themed around Harry Potter.
If you could wave a wand and change some aspect of policy or legislation, what would it be and why?
I would like to see incentives aligned more effectively towards behaviour that does the most ultimate good.
For example, I think the child benefit cap is one example of doing it badly – it creates a sense of unfairness and can have negative consequences for families. It’s also a challenge in terms of demographics, as we need more children to support an aging population. By removing this cap, we would be sending a positive message and encouraging families to have more children.
By contrast, the 5p plastic bag tax, which was introduced in 2015, is a good example of doing it well. The tax has led to a dramatic reduction in plastic bag usage, estimated at over 95%.
I’d therefore like to see more examples introduced where we incentivise the kinds of behaviours we want to encourage for the greater good.