IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v7y2015i7p8801-8822d52178.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How to Succeed in Low-Energy Housing—Path Creation Analysis of Low-Energy Innovation Projects

Author

Listed:
  • Pia Pässilä

    (Department of Real Estate, Planning and Geoinformatics, Aalto University, PL 15800, 00076 Aalto, Finland)

  • Lauri Pulkka

    (Department of Real Estate, Planning and Geoinformatics, Aalto University, PL 15800, 00076 Aalto, Finland)

  • Seppo Junnila

    (Department of Real Estate, Planning and Geoinformatics, Aalto University, PL 15800, 00076 Aalto, Finland)

Abstract

The low-energy and the nearly zero-energy buildings trend is calling for radical new innovations from the construction industry. This study uses path creation theory to examine two innovation concepts for low-energy housing in Northern Europe with contrasting outcomes—with one being an apparent market success and the other a disappointment. The results highlight two issues behind the success, one of a systemic nature and the other concerning innovation management. First, the development of energy efficiency regulations and the dominant technological trajectory regarding low-energy houses are interdependent. However, it seems that while supporting the trajectory of the innovation developed in the first case, regulators created virtually insurmountable cognitive and normative obstacles to finding alternative technological pathways. Second, the significance of proof of concepts for new innovations cannot be underestimated. The importance of a pilot project rests not only on showcasing and testing the technology, but also on its ability to increase political support, investments, and public awareness. The study implies that low-energy construction seems to be the next great challenge, one where genuine co-operation between the industry, public authorities and academia is a prerequisite for success.

Suggested Citation

  • Pia Pässilä & Lauri Pulkka & Seppo Junnila, 2015. "How to Succeed in Low-Energy Housing—Path Creation Analysis of Low-Energy Innovation Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-22, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:7:p:8801-8822:d:52178
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/7/8801/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/7/8801/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Christensen, Clayton M. & Rosenbloom, Richard S., 1995. "Explaining the attacker's advantage: Technological paradigms, organizational dynamics, and the value network," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 233-257, March.
    2. Smith, Adrian & Stirling, Andy & Berkhout, Frans, 2005. "The governance of sustainable socio-technical transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 1491-1510, December.
    3. Abimbola Olukemi Windapo, 2014. "Examination of Green Building Drivers in the South African Construction Industry: Economics versus Ecology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(9), pages 1-19, September.
    4. Beerepoot, Milou & Beerepoot, Niels, 2007. "Government regulation as an impetus for innovation: Evidence from energy performance regulation in the Dutch residential building sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 4812-4825, October.
    5. Raghu Garud & Arun Kumaraswamy & Peter Karnøe, 2010. "Path Dependence or Path Creation?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 760-774, June.
    6. David M. Gann & Ammon Salter, 1998. "Learning and Innovation Management in Project-Based, Service-Enhanced Firms," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 2(04), pages 431-454.
    7. Ryghaug, Marianne & Sørensen, Knut H., 2009. "How energy efficiency fails in the building industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 984-991, March.
    8. Anna Dubois & Lars-Erik Gadde, 2002. "The construction industry as a loosely coupled system: implications for productivity and innovation," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(7), pages 621-631.
    9. Geels, Frank W. & Schot, Johan, 2007. "Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 399-417, April.
    10. James Simmie & Rolf Sternberg & Juliet Carpenter, 2014. "New technological path creation: evidence from the British and German wind energy industries," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 875-904, September.
    11. Graham Winch, 2003. "How innovative is construction? Comparing aggregated data on construction innovation and other sectors - a case of apples and pears," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(6), pages 651-654.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tania I. Lagunes Vega & Sergio A. Zamora Castro & Oscar Velazquez Camilo & Ma Eugenia Alicia Diaz Vega & Ricardo Campos Campos, 2016. "Thermal Storage Systems Assessment for Energy Sustainability in Housing Units," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Ranjita Singh & Philip Walsh & Christina Mazza, 2019. "Sustainable Housing: Understanding the Barriers to Adopting Net Zero Energy Homes in Ontario, Canada," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-21, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Papachristos, George & Papadonikolaki, Eleni & Morgan, Bethan, 2024. "Projects as a speciation and aggregation mechanism in transitions: Bridging project management and transitions research in the digitalization of UK architecture, engineering, and construction industry," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    2. Hagelskjær Lauridsen, Erik & Stissing Jensen, Jens, 2013. "The strictest energy requirements in the world: An analysis of the path dependencies of a self-proclaimed success," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 97-104.
    3. Luis Felipe Cândido & Jose Carlos Lazaro & Adriano Olivier de Freitas e Silva & José de Paula Barros Neto, 2023. "Sustainability Transitions in the Construction Sector: A Bibliometric Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-26, August.
    4. Roberts, Cameron & Geels, Frank W., 2019. "Conditions for politically accelerated transitions: Historical institutionalism, the multi-level perspective, and two historical case studies in transport and agriculture," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 221-240.
    5. Sillig, Cécile, 2022. "The role of ideology in grassroots innovation: An application of the arenas of development framework to organic in Europe," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    6. Jens Hanson & Markus Steen & Tyson Weaver & Håkon E. Normann & Gard H. Hansen, 2016. "Path creation through branching and transfer of complementary resources: the role of established industries for new renewable energy technologies," Working Papers on Innovation Studies 20160310, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Oslo.
    7. Sebastian Fastenrath & Boris Braun, 2018. "Lost in Transition? Directions for an Economic Geography of Urban Sustainability Transitions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-17, July.
    8. Garud, Raghu & Gehman, Joel, 2012. "Metatheoretical perspectives on sustainability journeys: Evolutionary, relational and durational," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 980-995.
    9. Capellán-Pérez, Iñigo & Campos-Celador, Álvaro & Terés-Zubiaga, Jon, 2018. "Renewable Energy Cooperatives as an instrument towards the energy transition in Spain," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 215-229.
    10. Funcke, Simon & Bauknecht, Dierk, 2016. "Typology of centralised and decentralised visions for electricity infrastructure," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 67-74.
    11. Hellsmark, Hans & Hansen, Teis, 2020. "A new dawn for (oil) incumbents within the bioeconomy? Trade-offs and lessons for policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    12. Pradeep Racherla & Munir Mandviwalla, 2013. "Moving from Access to Use of the Information Infrastructure: A Multilevel Sociotechnical Framework," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(3), pages 709-730, September.
    13. Alessandro Grimaldi & Antonio Lopolito & Massimo Monteleone & Piergiuseppe Morone & Maurizio Prosperi, 2009. "Wp 6: Modelling Stakeholder Interplay And Policy Scenarios For Biorefinery And Biodiesel Production," Quaderni DSEMS 02-2009, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche, Matematiche e Statistiche, Universita' di Foggia.
    14. Mock, Mirijam & Omann, Ines & Polzin, Christine & Spekkink, Wouter & Schuler, Julia & Pandur, Vlad & Brizi, Ambra & Panno, Angelo, 2019. "“Something inside me has been set in motion”: Exploring the psychological wellbeing of people engaged in sustainability initiatives," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 1-11.
    15. Geels, Frank W., 2012. "A socio-technical analysis of low-carbon transitions: introducing the multi-level perspective into transport studies," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 471-482.
    16. Markard, Jochen & Truffer, Bernhard, 2008. "Technological innovation systems and the multi-level perspective: Towards an integrated framework," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 596-615, May.
    17. Lucy Baker, 2016. "Post-apartheid electricity policy and the emergence of South Africa's renewable energy sector," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2016-15, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    18. Nina Savela & Jarkko Levänen & Sara Lindeman & Nnenesi Kgabi & Heikki Koivisto & Meri Olenius & Samuel John & Damas Mashauri & Minna M. Keinänen-Toivola, 2020. "Rapid Urbanization and Infrastructure Pressure: Comparing the Sustainability Transition Potential of Water and Energy Regimes in Namibia," World, MDPI, vol. 1(2), pages 1-18, July.
    19. Kuokkanen, A. & Nurmi, A. & Mikkilä, M. & Kuisma, M. & Kahiluoto, H. & Linnanen, L., 2018. "Agency in regime destabilization through the selection environment: The Finnish food system’s sustainability transition," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1513-1522.
    20. Canitez, Fatih, 2019. "Pathways to sustainable urban mobility in developing megacities: A socio-technical transition perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 319-329.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:7:p:8801-8822:d:52178. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.