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Designing Urban Knowledge: Competing Perspectives on Energy and Buildings

Author

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  • Simon Guy

    (School of Environment and Development, The University of Manchester, Humanities, Bridgeford Street, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, England)

Abstract

The author engages with debates about buildings, energy efficiency, and the innovation process—issues that are of great significance for urban sustainability because buildings are such an important constituent of urban energy consumption. Within this context, the author explores what it might mean to develop an interdisciplinary understanding of technical change. Questioning conventional accounts, he develops a sociotechnical perspective on competing energy knowledges and contexts of design, development, and consumption. It is argued that energy research and policy-making for the built environment is underpinned by a common understanding of technical change, which fails to take account of the contextual nature of energy-related choice. Describing cultural, organisational, and commercial factors shaping technological innovation, the author explores how more-or-less energy-efficient choices influencing urban development are made in response to changing opportunities and practices which sometimes favor energy efficiency, sometimes not. The author draws upon sociological accounts of technical change and illustrates both a sociotechnical perspective on energy and buildings and a key role for sociologists in the field of architecture, energy, and environmental studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon Guy, 2006. "Designing Urban Knowledge: Competing Perspectives on Energy and Buildings," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 24(5), pages 645-659, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:24:y:2006:i:5:p:645-659
    DOI: 10.1068/c0607j
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lutzenhiser, Loren, 1994. "Innovation and organizational networks Barriers to energy efficiency in the US housing industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(10), pages 867-876, October.
    2. Schipper, Lee, 1987. "Energy conservation policies in the OECD did they make a difference?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(6), pages 538-548, December.
    3. Geels, Frank W., 2004. "From sectoral systems of innovation to socio-technical systems: Insights about dynamics and change from sociology and institutional theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6-7), pages 897-920, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bardsley, Nicholas & Büchs, Milena & James, Patrick & Papafragkou, Anastasios & Rushby, Thomas & Saunders, Clare & Smith, Graham & Wallbridge, Rebecca & Woodman, Nicholas, 2019. "Domestic thermal upgrades, community action and energy saving: A three-year experimental study of prosperous households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 475-485.
    2. Edomah, Norbert & Foulds, Chris & Jones, Aled, 2017. "Influences on energy supply infrastructure: A comparison of different theoretical perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 765-778.
    3. Ghanem, Dana Abi & Mander, Sarah & Gough, Clair, 2016. "“I think we need to get a better generator”: Household resilience to disruption to power supply during storm events," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 171-180.
    4. Simpson, Genevieve, 2017. "Network operators and the transition to decentralised electricity: An Australian socio-technical case study," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 422-433.

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