Implementing sustainability in Implementing sustainability in the building industrythe building industry

Marianne Ryghaug and Knut H. SørensenMarianne Ryghaug and Knut H. Sørensen

Department og interdisciplinary studies of Department og interdisciplinary studies of culture, NTNUculture, NTNU

The role of buildings and the The role of buildings and the building industry with regard to building industry with regard to environmental policyenvironmental policy In principle, of great importance. In principle, of great importance.

Buildings consume a lot of energy Buildings consume a lot of energy and other resources as well as and other resources as well as impacting physical and visual impacting physical and visual landscapelandscape

In practice, unclear and not very well In practice, unclear and not very well developeddeveloped

Also, the building industry is not Also, the building industry is not much analysed and its dynamics is much analysed and its dynamics is not well understoodnot well understood

Aim of our talkAim of our talk

Discuss decision making in the Discuss decision making in the building industry with regard to building industry with regard to environmental issuesenvironmental issues

Contribute to a better Contribute to a better understanding of buildings as understanding of buildings as socio-technical entities and the socio-technical entities and the shaping processes related to the shaping processes related to the building industrybuilding industry

Implementing sustainability in Implementing sustainability in the building industry – initial the building industry – initial observationsobservations The building industry has been The building industry has been

resistant to ideas of sustainability resistant to ideas of sustainability and energy conservationand energy conservation

Introduction of new energy Introduction of new energy technologies, new energy carriers technologies, new energy carriers and sustainable design has been and sustainable design has been difficultdifficult

Macro-political measures have Macro-political measures have proved inefficient to induce the use proved inefficient to induce the use of more sustainable designs of more sustainable designs

ChallengesChallenges

Understanding institutional Understanding institutional arrangementsarrangements

Describing main strategies of Describing main strategies of different actors in relation to different actors in relation to design, development, design, development, implementation and use of implementation and use of energy technologiesenergy technologies

What does implementation What does implementation mean in relation to mean in relation to sustainability in buildings? sustainability in buildings? Accessibility of knowledge and Accessibility of knowledge and

technology: Research and technology: Research and production does to some extent production does to some extent provide what is neededprovide what is needed

Attractiveness of sustainable Attractiveness of sustainable solutions: Would they be better? solutions: Would they be better? Unclear to building industry actorsUnclear to building industry actors

Usability: Can users deal with new Usability: Can users deal with new solutions? solutions? A neglected problemA neglected problem

The analysis: Case studies The analysis: Case studies related torelated to Sustainable architecture Sustainable architecture (Ryghaug 2003)(Ryghaug 2003)

HVAC engineers HVAC engineers (Hubak 1998)(Hubak 1998)

Implementation of heat pumps Implementation of heat pumps (Næsje (Næsje 2000)2000)

Implementation of new heating Implementation of new heating systems in buildings (systems in buildings (Kongsli 2001)Kongsli 2001)

Users of office buildings Users of office buildings (Berker and Bye, (Berker and Bye, ongoing)ongoing)

Energy culture in households Energy culture in households (Aune (Aune 1998)1998)

Norwegian energy politics Norwegian energy politics (Aune, Gjøen, (Aune, Gjøen, Ryghaug, Sørensen, ongoing)Ryghaug, Sørensen, ongoing)

Who is to blame? Who is to blame?

Actor-actant areas to be Actor-actant areas to be discussed:discussed: UsersUsers BuildersBuilders ArchitectsArchitects EngineersEngineers Contracts Contracts Suppliers/contractorsSuppliers/contractors Professional conflictsProfessional conflicts

The users?The users?

Comfort-orientedComfort-orientedex: ”The home should be peaceful ex: ”The home should be peaceful

and cosy, sheltered, warm .. and and cosy, sheltered, warm .. and snug - one shall feel comfortable” snug - one shall feel comfortable” (Aune 1998; p. 2003)(Aune 1998; p. 2003)

IndifferentIndifferent

The builders?The builders? Want to build as cheaply as possibleWant to build as cheaply as possible

ex: ”The question is, who in the end is ex: ”The question is, who in the end is going to pay for this. The building owner going to pay for this. The building owner is not interested in paying energy is not interested in paying energy efficiency investments that is not repaid efficiency investments that is not repaid in max. one and a half year” in max. one and a half year” (Hubak 1998; (Hubak 1998; 138)138)

Risk-aversionRisk-aversion Lack of knowledge about future use Lack of knowledge about future use

and how different designs may affect and how different designs may affect indoor environment and productivityindoor environment and productivity

The architects?The architects?

Lack of knowledge Lack of knowledge Want primarily to build Want primarily to build

according to the dominant according to the dominant aesthetics of the profession aesthetics of the profession ex1:”To most architects it doesn’t ex1:”To most architects it doesn’t

matter if one recycles and stores matter if one recycles and stores the heat if the building doesn’t the heat if the building doesn’t look good” look good” (Ryghaug 2003, p.137)(Ryghaug 2003, p.137)

ex2: “architects should be mostly ex2: “architects should be mostly preoccupied with architecture and preoccupied with architecture and design” design” (Ryghaug 2003, p.119)(Ryghaug 2003, p.119)

The engineers?The engineers?

Wants to do more sustainable Wants to do more sustainable design, but are not enableddesign, but are not enabled

Constrained by knowledge, time Constrained by knowledge, time and economyand economy

To some extent also constrained To some extent also constrained by the interaction with other by the interaction with other engineers and architectsengineers and architects

The contract system?The contract system? The building industry is regulated The building industry is regulated

through a system of legal contractsthrough a system of legal contracts In many construction contractsIn many construction contracts

all premises given when the contract is all premises given when the contract is signedsigned

the price of the product is giventhe price of the product is given no room for extra expenses (new no room for extra expenses (new

knowledge, technology, time)knowledge, technology, time) no responsibilities towards no responsibilities towards

environmental aspectsenvironmental aspects Consequently, the contract system Consequently, the contract system

has a conservative impacthas a conservative impact

The suppliers/contractors?The suppliers/contractors?

May not offer new, more May not offer new, more sustainable products due to lack sustainable products due to lack of demandof demand

But a source of renewal when But a source of renewal when old components are replaced by old components are replaced by new ones, which demand new ones, which demand design changesdesign changes

Professional conflicts: Professional conflicts: architects and engineersarchitects and engineers

” ” architects are more puritan than most people. If architects are more puritan than most people. If you look at how they dress an incredible large you look at how they dress an incredible large number dress in black and white (…) black and number dress in black and white (…) black and black, white and white and maybe a little bit of black, white and white and maybe a little bit of grey”grey”

““[engineers] have chequered shirts, perhaps a [engineers] have chequered shirts, perhaps a striped neckerchief and an anorak they got striped neckerchief and an anorak they got during the Olympics with three different during the Olympics with three different colours, brown-greyish trousers and colours, brown-greyish trousers and multicoloured trainers. They look awful!”multicoloured trainers. They look awful!”

Can they communicate?

The Orient Express syndromeThe Orient Express syndrome

All actors/actants share the All actors/actants share the blameblame

Who may criticise the others??Who may criticise the others??

Three problematical logics to Three problematical logics to induce sustainable buildinginduce sustainable building The economical logicThe economical logic

remunerative?remunerative? conservativeness is the cheapestconservativeness is the cheapest

The judicial logicThe judicial logic liability?liability? conserves the establishedconserves the established

The professional logicThe professional logic interest?interest? knowledge?knowledge? communication?communication?

Challenges to sustainability in Challenges to sustainability in the building industrythe building industry Short-sighted cost thinking: Short-sighted cost thinking:

Building cheaply – why not?Building cheaply – why not? Who can afford to think new?Who can afford to think new?

A judicial trap:A judicial trap: A regime of contractual regulation that A regime of contractual regulation that

relieves everyone from blamerelieves everyone from blame Limited professional perceptions:Limited professional perceptions:

Smart, energy efficient – and ugly?Smart, energy efficient – and ugly? Who cares about maintenance?Who cares about maintenance?

Sustainability has to be policedSustainability has to be policed