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Energy sufficiency through social innovation in housing

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  • Lorek, Sylvia
  • Spangenberg, Joachim H.

Abstract

Experience shows that energy savings through energy efficiency measures are partly compensated by income growth, and partly by rebound effects. Therefore to be effective, efficiency measures have to be embedded in a concept of sufficiency which strives for limits and absolute reduction of energy consumption. While the sufficiency concept is not new, it only recently gained attention in the field of housing. This paper provides a basis for broader and more informed debates in policy and research on the potential of sufficiency considerations to contribute to the overall reduction of energy consumption in the residential sector. It recommends shifting the attention from energy consumption of buildings towards a concept of sustainable homes in which e.g. the size of the living area plays a crucial role. A further important aspect is the possibility to fulfil other basic needs like the provision with food, recreation and social contacts in the nearby environment. The paper describes first examples of housing projects guided by sufficiency criteria, depicts the potential roles of different actor groups and points towards some general policy recommendations.

Suggested Citation

  • Lorek, Sylvia & Spangenberg, Joachim H., 2019. "Energy sufficiency through social innovation in housing," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 287-294.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:126:y:2019:i:c:p:287-294
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.11.026
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    2. Cordroch, Luisa & Hilpert, Simon & Wiese, Frauke, 2022. "Why renewables and energy efficiency are not enough - the relevance of sufficiency in the heating sector for limiting global warming to 1.5 °C," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
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    4. Marcin Sitek & Manuela Tvaronavičienė, 2021. "Innovation Management in Polish Real Estate Developers in the Renewable Energy Sources Context," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-20, March.
    5. Zell-Ziegler, Carina & Thema, Johannes & Best, Benjamin & Wiese, Frauke & Lage, Jonas & Schmidt, Annika & Toulouse, Edouard & Stagl, Sigrid, 2021. "Enough? The role of sufficiency in European energy and climate plans," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    6. Florence Ziesemer & Alexandra Hüttel & Ingo Balderjahn, 2019. "Pioneers’ Insights into Governing Social Innovation for Sustainable Anti-Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-16, November.
    7. Nick Van Loy & Griet Verbeeck & Elke Knapen, 2021. "Personal Heating in Dwellings as an Innovative, Energy-Sufficient Heating Practice: A Case Study Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-27, June.
    8. F. Vendrell-Herrero & M. Opazo-Basáez & Josip Marić, 2023. "Open and Social: Portraying the Resilient, Social and Competitive, Upcoming Enterprise," Post-Print hal-04434045, HAL.
    9. Spangenberg, Joachim H. & Lorek, Sylvia, 2019. "Sufficiency and consumer behaviour: From theory to policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1070-1079.
    10. Löffler, Konstantin & Burandt, Thorsten & Hainsch, Karlo & Oei, Pao-Yu & Seehaus, Frederik & Wejda, Felix, 2022. "Chances and barriers for Germany's low carbon transition - Quantifying uncertainties in key influential factors," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PA).
    11. M. Kanerva, 2022. "Consumption Corridors and the Case of Meat," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 619-653, December.
    12. Amy Isham & Caroline Verfuerth & Alison Armstrong & Patrick Elf & Birgitta Gatersleben & Tim Jackson, 2022. "The Problematic Role of Materialistic Values in the Pursuit of Sustainable Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-20, March.
    13. Viktorija Bobinaite & Inga Konstantinaviciute & Arvydas Galinis & Mária Bartek-Lesi & Viktor Rácz & Bettina Dézsi, 2022. "Energy Sufficiency in the Household Sector of Lithuania and Hungary: The Case of Heated Floor Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-19, December.
    14. Okushima, Shinichiro & Simcock, Neil, 2024. "Double energy vulnerability in Japan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    15. Jungell-Michelsson, Jessica & Heikkurinen, Pasi, 2022. "Sufficiency: A systematic literature review," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    16. Gough, Ian & Horn, Stefan & Rogers, Charlotte & Tunstall, Rebecca, 2024. "Fair decarbonisation of housing in the UK: a sufficiency approach," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 122477, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    17. Michael Buschka & Philipp Schepelmann & Fiona Breucker & Jenny Kurwan, 2024. "Sufficiency Initiatives and Municipalities: Opportunities and Limitations for Bringing People and Politics Together," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9.
    18. Pérez-Sánchez, Laura À. & Velasco-Fernández, Raúl & Giampietro, Mario, 2022. "Factors and actions for the sustainability of the residential sector. The nexus of energy, materials, space, and time use," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    19. Matschoss, Kaisa & Mikkonen, Irmeli & Gynther, Lea & Koukoufikis, Giorgos & Uihlein, Andreas & Murauskaite-Bull, Ingrida, 2022. "Drawing policy insights from social innovation cases in the energy field," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    20. Stieß, Immanuel & Umbach-Daniel, Anja & Fischer, Corinna, 2019. "Smart small living? Social innovations for saving energy in senior citizens’ households by reducing living space," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    21. Okushima, Shinichiro, 2024. "Measuring energy sufficiency: A state of being neither in energy poverty nor energy extravagance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 354(PA).

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