Contact Details
Tel: +64 4 385 5541 ext 6847
Fax: +64 4 389 5319
Email: helen.viggers@otago.ac.nz
Research Interests and Activities
Helen trained originally in engineering, and enjoys using quantitative skills in the realm of public health. She has worked on the Housing, Insulation and Health; and Housing, Heating and Health studies. She is currently working on the Warm Homes for Elder New Zealanders study.
Publications
Howden-Chapman, P., Crane, J., Keall, M., Pierse, N., Baker, M. G., Cunningham, C., … Aspinall, C., Bennett, J., Bierre, S., … Chisholm, E., Davies, C., Fougere, G., Fraser, B., Fyfe, C., … Halley, C., … Olin, C., Ombler, J., O'Sullivan, K., Pehi, T., Penny, G., … Randal, E., Riggs, L., Robson, B., Ruru, J., Shaw, C., … Teariki, M. A., Telfar Barnard, L., Tiatia, R., … Viggers, H., … Zhang, W. (2023). He Kāinga Oranga: Reflections on 25 years of measuring the improved health, wellbeing and sustainability of healthier housing. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. [Review].
Journal - Research Other
Viggers, H. E., Keall, M., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2022). Towards dwelling energy certification for New Zealand: Normalisation issues. Kōtuitui, 17(2), 206-223. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2021.1960866
Journal - Research Article
O'Sullivan, K., & Viggers, H. (2021). Six ways to help fix energy hardship in New Zealand. Policy Quarterly, 17(4), 65-72. doi: 10.26686/pq.v17i4.7323
Journal - Research Other
Viggers, H., Keall, M., Howden-Chapman, P., Wickens, K., Ingham, T., Davies, C., … Crane, J. (2019). Effect of an electricity voucher on electricity use. Energy Policy, 134, 110985. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.110985
Journal - Research Article
Ingham, T., Keall, M., Jones, B., Aldridge, D. R. T., Dowell, A. C., Davies, C., Crane, J., Draper, J. B., Bailey, L. O., Viggers, H., Stanley, T. V., Leadbitter, P., … Howden-Chapman, P. (2019). Damp mouldy housing and early childhood hospital admissions for acute respiratory infection: A case control study. Thorax, 74(9), 849-857. doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-212979
Journal - Research Article
O'Sullivan, K. C., Viggers, H., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2018). The value of experience: Including young people in energy poverty research. In N. Simcock, H. Thomson, S. Petrova & S. Bouzarovski (Eds.), Energy poverty and vulnerability: A global perspective. (pp. 188-201). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Chapter in Book - Research
Howden-Chapman, P., Chisholm, E., Telfar Barnard, L., Viggers, H., O'Sullivan, K., Bennett, J., Bierre, S., Preval, N., Randal, E., Tiatia, R., Ombler, J., Amore, K., Rivera-Muñoz, G., … Davies, C., Aspinall, C., Oliver, J., Baker, M., Keall, M., … Crane, J., & Pierse, N. (2017). Housing, energy and health in resilient cities. In P. Howden-Chapman, L. Early & J. Ombler (Eds.), Cities in New Zealand: Preferences, patterns and possibilities. (pp. 95-106). Wellington, New Zealand: Steele Roberts Aotearoa.
Chapter in Book - Research
Viggers, H., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2011). Urban form, public transport and mortgagee sales. In K. Witten, W. Abrahamse & K. Stuart (Eds.), Growth misconduct? Avoiding sprawl and improving urban intensification in New Zealand. (pp. 159-178). Wellington, New Zealand: Steele Roberts Aotearoa.
Chapter in Book - Research
Viggers, H. E., Keall, M., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2022). Towards dwelling energy certification for New Zealand: Normalisation issues. Kōtuitui, 17(2), 206-223. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2021.1960866
Journal - Research Article
Ingham, T., Keall, M., Jones, B., Aldridge, D. R. T., Dowell, A. C., Davies, C., Crane, J., Draper, J. B., Bailey, L. O., Viggers, H., Stanley, T. V., Leadbitter, P., … Howden-Chapman, P. (2019). Damp mouldy housing and early childhood hospital admissions for acute respiratory infection: A case control study. Thorax, 74(9), 849-857. doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-212979
Journal - Research Article
Viggers, H., Keall, M., Howden-Chapman, P., Wickens, K., Ingham, T., Davies, C., … Crane, J. (2019). Effect of an electricity voucher on electricity use. Energy Policy, 134, 110985. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.110985
Journal - Research Article
Rangiwhetu, L., Pierse, N., Viggers, H., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2018). Cold New Zealand council housing getting an upgrade. Policy Quarterly, 14(2), 65, 73.
Journal - Research Article
Viggers, H., Keall, M., Wickens, K., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2017). Increased house size can cancel out the effect of improved insulation on overall heating energy requirements. Energy Policy, 107, 248-257. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2017.04.045
Journal - Research Article
O'Sullivan, K., Telfar Barnard, L., Viggers, H., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2016). Child and youth fuel poverty: Assessing the known and unknown. People, Place & Policy, 10(1), 77-87. doi: 10.3351/ppp.0010.0001.0006
Journal - Research Article
O'Sullivan, K. C., Viggers, H. E., & Howden-Chapman, P. L. (2014). The influence of electricity prepayment meter use on household energy behaviour. Sustainable Cities & Society, 13, 182-191. doi: 10.1016/j.scs.2013.10.004
Journal - Research Article
Viggers, H., Howden-Chapman, P., Ingham, T., Chapman, R., Pene, G., Davies, C., … Pierse, N., Wilson, H., Zhang, J., Baker, M., & Crane, J. (2013). Warm homes for older people: Aims and methods of a randomised community-based trial for people with COPD. BMC Public Health, 13, 176. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-176
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., Viggers, H., Chapman, R., O'Sullivan, K., Telfar Barnard, L., & Lloyd, B. (2012). Tackling cold housing and fuel poverty in New Zealand: A review of policies, research, and health impacts. Energy Policy, 49, 134-142. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2011.09.044
Journal - Research Article
Gillespie-Bennett, J., Pierse, N., Wickens, K., Crane, J., Howden-Chapman, P., and the Housing Heating and Health Study Research Team, including Viggers, H., & Lloyd, B. (2011). The respiratory health effects of nitrogen dioxide in children with asthma. European Respiratory Journal, 38, 303-309. doi: 10.1183/09031936.00115409
Journal - Research Article
Free, S., Howden-Chapman, P., Pierse, N., Viggers, H., the Housing, Heating, and Health Study Research Team, including Nicholls, S., Bennett, J., Shields, D., Lloyd, B., Wickens, K., Baker, M., & Crane, J. (2010). More effective home heating reduces school absences for children with asthma. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 64(5), 379-386. doi: 10.1136/jech.2008.086520
Journal - Research Article
Chapman, R., Howden-Chapman, P., Viggers, H., O'Dea, D., & Kennedy, M. (2009). Retrofitting houses with insulation: A cost-benefit analysis of a randomised community trial. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 63(4), 271-277. doi: 10.1136/jech.2007.070037
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., Viggers, H., Chapman, R., O'Dea, D. J., Free, S., & O'Sullivan, K. (2009). Warm homes: Drivers of the demand for heating in the residential sector in New Zealand. Energy Policy, 37(9), 3387-3399. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2008.12.023
Journal - Research Article
Boulic, M., Fjällström, P., Phipps, R., Cunningham, M., Cleland, D., Pierse, N., Howden-Chapman, P., … Viggers, H., … and the Housing, Heating, and Health Team, including Baker, M., Crane, J., Cunningham, C., Free, S., Gillespie-Bennett, J., Shields, D., & Wickens, K. (2008). Cold homes in New Zealand: Does increasing the heater capacity improve indoor temperatures? Clean Air & Environmental Quality, 42(3), 22-29.
Journal - Research Article
Gillespie-Bennett, J., Pierse, N., Wickens, K., Crane, J., Nicholls, S., Shields, D., … Viggers, H., Baker, M., … Howden-Chapman, P. (2008). Sources of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in New Zealand homes: Findings from a community randomized controlled trial of heater substitutions. Indoor Air, 18(6), 521-528. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2008.00554.x
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., Pierse, N., Nicholls, S., Gillespie-Bennett, J., Viggers, H., Cunningham, M., … Free, S., … Lloyd, B., Wickens, K., Shields, D., Baker, M., Cunningham, C., … Crane, J. (2008). Effects of improved home heating on asthma in community dwelling children: Randomised controlled trial. BMJ, 337, 852-855. doi: 10.1136/bmj.a1411
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., Matheson, A., Crane, J., Viggers, H., Cunningham, M., Blakely, T., … O'Dea, D., Kennedy, M., Baker, M., Waipara, N., … Davie, G. (2007). Effect of insulating existing houses on health inequality: Cluster randomised study in the community. BMJ, 334, 460. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39070.573032.80
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., Crane, J., Matheson, A., Viggers, H., Cunningham, M., Blakely, T., O'Dea, D., … Baker, M., & Waipara, N. (2005). Retrofitting houses with insulation to reduce health inequalities: Aims and methods of a clustered, randomised community-based trial. Social Science & Medicine, 61, 2600-2610.
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., Crane, J., Keall, M., Pierse, N., Baker, M. G., Cunningham, C., … Aspinall, C., Bennett, J., Bierre, S., … Chisholm, E., Davies, C., Fougere, G., Fraser, B., Fyfe, C., … Halley, C., … Olin, C., Ombler, J., O'Sullivan, K., Pehi, T., Penny, G., … Randal, E., Riggs, L., Robson, B., Ruru, J., Shaw, C., … Teariki, M. A., Telfar Barnard, L., Tiatia, R., … Viggers, H., … Zhang, W. (2023). He Kāinga Oranga: Reflections on 25 years of measuring the improved health, wellbeing and sustainability of healthier housing. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. [Review].
Journal - Research Other
O'Sullivan, K., & Viggers, H. (2021). Six ways to help fix energy hardship in New Zealand. Policy Quarterly, 17(4), 65-72. doi: 10.26686/pq.v17i4.7323
Journal - Research Other
Viggers, H., Tiatia, R., & Cunningham, C. (2016). Housing inequalities. The Lens, 2(1), 6-7.
Journal - Research Other