Energy poverty is traditionally identified as an issue of inadequate heating in homes, arising when families, due to economic difficulties, cannot heat their homes to a satisfactory comfort level without excessive costs. However, due to the increasing importance of this issue and the effects of climate change, as well as the evolution of behaviors and needs of families, it becomes necessary to extend the analysis of the phenomenon to encompass the broader issue of building climate control. This includes cooling and other essential services (such as mobility, the ability to cook hot meals, availability of hot water for personal hygiene, and the use of electrical appliances).

Furthermore, energy poverty represents a social problem that has garnered attention and study from European and national governments. This is confirmed by literature where the correlation between energy poverty and health has been studied in some European countries (such as France and the United Kingdom). The main health issues include an increased likelihood of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as the onset or exacerbation of psychiatric problems. In this article, following an introductory literature analysis, a methodology is proposed and applied to the case study of Turin. Among the findings, it emerges that individuals in energy poverty have a risk of premature death seven times higher than the average, due to causes related to the aforementioned conditions. Energy poor individuals also face an increased risk of hospitalization for these conditions, with probabilities ranging from 5% (for stroke) to 27% (for COPD). In the final part of the article, an extension of the methodology to the entire country is proposed, with a preliminary estimate of the impact of this increased incidence of diseases on the National Health System.