Understanding energy efficiency in Swedish residential building renovation : A practice theory approach

Summary, in English

Examining renovation processes having reduced energy consumption as an explicit goal, this article considers how energy efficiency is made part of renovation processes, focusing on the planning and design phase. Interviews and participant observations of meetings have been conducted. Applying a framework developed in practice theory, we demonstrate the importance of understanding routines, technology, meanings, and knowledge in order to understand why renovation processes repeat themselves and why a renovation practice are hard to change. The analysis shows that the professionals were only engaged in decisions in relation to their own specialized areas, which benefited established solutions. The existing technical infrastructure, such as the HVAC shafts and the district heating system, largely determined what issues were up for discussion. It was clear that practical know-how were valued much higher than theoretical knowledge. The meaning of an energy efficient renovations for the professionals was to reduce the energy consumed as much as possible in every renovated building. With this in mind, we were surprised by how little energy efficiency was on the agenda. We can conclude that there was nothing in the studied processes that could trigger changes and dislodge the inertia of the practice.

• Author: Jenny Palm; Katharina Reindl
• Publishing year: 2016-01-01
• Language: English
• Pages: 247-255
• Publication/Series: Energy Research and Social Science
• Volume: 11
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2015.11.006
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Topic: Medical Engineering
• Keywords: Energy efficiency; Multi-family dwellings; Practice theory; Renovation
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 2214-6296