Energy matters in buildings: Individual and collective issues

Abstract

The CELSIUS project is an EU funded demonstrator project that aims to facilitate the distribution, deployment and operation of smart district heating and cooling solutions across Europe, while at the same time supporting cities in the development of trustworthy, affordable and low carbon heat supply for citizens and businesses. In this paper we focus on the users of district heating systems and how they manage their energy uptake in apartment buildings in Gothenburg, one of the five European 'Celsius cities'. Parallel to the technical optimization of energy efficient systems, we are interested in social aspects of housing management that can explain the uptake of energy from a practice perspective. The technical approaches need to be completed with social research that tells the stories about people and companies introducing environmental technologies. We draw upon the social construction of thermal comfort. We aim to understand the uptake of energy as part of a practice of housing management, including both material and symbolic aspects. A case study is presented that provides insight into the social acceptance of a specific energy service geared towards energy efficiency in buildings in Gothenburg, called the Climate Agreement (CA). We have pointed out several barriers and drivers for social acceptance of the Climate Agreement; Complexity and awareness, Building personal relationship and trust, and Organisation and negotiation.