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The UK homeowner-retrofitter as an innovator in a socio-technical system

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  • Galvin, Ray
  • Sunikka-Blank, Minna

Abstract

Policy on domestic thermal retrofits is usually designed as a top-down enterprise, setting standards and inducing homeowners to retrofit accordingly. Its underlying assumption is that correct retrofit technology is developed by experts and comes down through supply chains to households, who apply it as designed to their properties. However, this model is challenged by the insight from socio-technical systems studies (STST) that technology and society mutually form and influence each other at every level of society. Using this conceptual framework, this study investigated whether innovations are happening among retrofitting households, and what support these have for diffusion upwards into supply chains and outwards to other households. Qualitative data was gathered through semi-structured interviews among homeowner-retrofitters plus building professionals and citizens׳ initiatives which support these, in Cambridge, UK. Local innovation was found in the development of new retrofit technology and novel reconfiguring of existing solutions. Much of this was triggered by clashes between standard retrofit solutions and heritage or aesthetic values, economic necessity, or building professionals׳ lack of knowledge or experience. The findings suggest that instead of treating homeowners as passive recipients, UK thermal retrofit policy should broaden to identify useful innovations developed by homeowners and support them where appropriate.

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  • Galvin, Ray & Sunikka-Blank, Minna, 2014. "The UK homeowner-retrofitter as an innovator in a socio-technical system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 655-662.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:74:y:2014:i:c:p:655-662
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2014.08.013
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Thøgersen, John, 2017. "Housing-related lifestyle and energy saving: A multi-level approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 73-87.
    2. Cotton, Matthew & Van Schaik, Paul & Vall, Natasha & Lorrimer, Susan & Mountain, Andrea & Stubbs, Rosemary & Leighton, Charlotte & Leon, Edgar Segovia & Imani, Elena, 2024. "Just transitions and sociotechnical innovation in the social housing sector: An assemblage analysis of residents’ perspectives," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    3. Bobrova, Yekatherina & Papachristos, George & Cooper, Adam, 2022. "Process perspective on homeowner energy retrofits: A qualitative metasynthesis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    4. Mignon, Ingrid & Winberg, Lisa, 2023. "The role of public energy advising in sustainability transitions – empirical evidence from Sweden," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    5. Ozarisoy, B. & Altan, H., 2022. "Significance of occupancy patterns and habitual household adaptive behaviour on home-energy performance of post-war social-housing estate in the South-eastern Mediterranean climate: Energy policy desi," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PB).
    6. Gooding, Luke & Gul, Mehreen S., 2017. "Achieving growth within the UK's Domestic Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Services sector, practitioner experiences and strategies moving forward," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 173-182.
    7. Miguel Macias Sequeira & João Pedro Gouveia, 2022. "A Sequential Multi-Staged Approach for Developing Digital One-Stop Shops to Support Energy Renovations of Residential Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-27, July.

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