OUR VISION
SHINE (Sustainable Homes Integrating Non-Intrusive Environmental Sensors) is an interdisciplinary research project investigating how Ireland’s clean energy transition and climate ambitions interface with the social housing sector.
Jointly hosted by Dublin City University’s School of Law and Government and School of Electronic Engineering, in partnership with Clúid Housing, SHINE brings together public policy, governance, citizen science, and electronic engineering to address energy poverty and advance a Just Transition for social housing communities.
OUR STORY
SHINE’s previous funding (2023 to 2025) was coordinated and administered by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland. Our project was a proud recipient of the National Challenge Fund, established under the government’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. During this initial phase, our multi-disciplinary team established the core methodology: using non-intrusive, low-impact environmental sensors alongside participatory engagement to understand indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and household energy practices in social housing.
Building on the success of our pilot research, SHINE has entered an expanded four-year research phase funded under the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) National Energy Research, Development & Demonstration (RD&D) Programme. In this new phase, SHINE scales up its socio-technical approach. By tracking real-time indoor environmental indicators, such as temperature, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide, alongside tenant-led citizen science feedback to the project, it generates empirical evidence to help mitigate energy poverty, empower communities and inform policymaking.
Our Team
Dr Valesca Lima
Dr Valesca Lima is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the School of Law and Government at Dublin City University and is the SHINE Project’s Principal Investigator. She specialises in policymaking and governance with a particular focus on housing policy, citizen participation, and political participation of vulnerable groups. Her research has been funded by the European Commission (Erasmus+), Irish Research Council (IRC), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), and The Housing Agency, among others, addressing issues of housing, human rights, inclusion and political participation. Dr Lima’s work in housing and urban studies examines the financialisation of housing, social mobilisation for housing rights, and policy innovations for a more democratic and inclusive housing system, resulting in publications in journals such as Housing Studies, International Journal of Housing Policy, and Comparative European Politics. She is currently a co-editor of the International Review of Public Policy (IRPP) and serves as the director of the charity Women in Research Ireland.
Prof. Stephen Daniels
Professor Stephen Daniels is the Head of the School of Electronic Engineering at Dublin City University and is the SHINE Project’s Co-Principal Investigator. His academic interests are in the areas of plasma science, renewable energy efficiency, and energy management. Beyond academia, Prof. Daniels serves as Chief Technology Officer at NuWave Sensors and has held senior positions in related industries.
Dr Tracy Mae Ildefonso
Dr Tracy Mae Ildefonso is SHINE’s senior postdoctoral researcher. She is a social scientist whose research interests lie within gender, media, and social and cultural studies. Her research ethos is centred on people’s lived experiences to profoundly understand diverse cultures, societies, and social phenomena with integrity and authenticity. Dr Ildefonso is a PhD Scholar Alumna of the School of Communications, Dublin City University; an MA Scholar Alumna of the Turkish Government’s Scholarship Program; and a former media practitioner at one of the largest TV networks in the Philippines. Find all her works on the topics of gender, media, and advertising scholarships here.
Joe Mullally
Joe Mullally is an Electronic Engineering specialist and a project collaborator at Dublin City University. He has a B.A. (Mod) in Computer Science from Trinity College Dublin and a professional background in Development/Operations/IoT at FINEOS, Amazon, and NuWave Sensors. Interests include Electronics, Networking (CCNA), System Administration, Software Engineering, Computer Security, Data Protection, and Open Source. Critical of the over-computerisation of society to the detriment of its citizens, he is a firm believer in independent, ethical, and transparent systems that protect users’ rights and freedoms. Equally as important to him are systems that can get the job done reliably while keeping it simple and cost-effective.