The implementation process of innovations for energy efficiency – A socio-technical perspective

Panel: Panel 6. Dynamics of consumption

Author:
Wiktoria Glad, Linköping University

Abstract

Goals for energy efficiency in the housing sector have been difficult to implement in Sweden. The increasing demand for energy from dwelling houses is a trend that the national policies are determined to convert into efficient use of energy in buildings and energy supply from renewable sources. How can these goals be met?

This paper focuses on the implementation processes of a solar house concept. Empirical findings from four case studies in Sweden are presented and the forces behind success and failure are analysed. The buildings are presented with a socio-technical perspective involving both technology and human beings in the implementation process of innovations for energy efficiency.

In the first case, the building is a small private office building and the energy system was implemented by the owner with some assistance from researchers at the university. The second case is a regeneration project from the 1980's, which has been described as a successful innovative project, technically and socially. The third case, also a regeneration project, had the aim of lowering energy demand by 40 percent. The fourth case study is in the same area as the third case and with the same goals, but lessons from the third case made the energy system somewhat different. In order to analyse the empirical findings theoretically, concepts from innovation implementation theory and large technical systems are used.

Results from the analyses show how models to describe the dissemination process between different construction projects are incomplete and how theoretical concepts to comprehend disconnection from a large technical system in momentum are missing.