Managing Sustainability Aspects in Renovation Processes: Interview Study and Outline of a Process Model

Stefan Olsson, Tove Malmqvist and Mauritz Glaumann
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Stefan Olsson: Division of Environmental Strategies Research, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Tove Malmqvist: Division of Environmental Strategies Research, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Mauritz Glaumann: Faculty of Engineering and Sustainable Development, University of Gävle, SE-801 76 Gävle, Sweden

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 6, 1-17

Abstract: In many European countries, there are building stocks in need of extensive renovation. This constitutes an important opportunity to perform energy-saving measures and improve indoor environmental quality aiming at a more sustainable built environment. In this paper, we report results from an interview study with the aim of obtaining an in-depth understanding of renovation processes and how sustainability aspects are handled by various Swedish property owners. Examples of important barriers revealed in the interviews are insufficient inspection of existing buildings, absence of both overarching and detailed sustainability targets and guidelines, and lack of knowledge about sustainability aspects. Based on the interview study, conclusions are drawn for the further development of a process model which aims at systematize integration and effectively address energy, environmental, and indoor environmental quality aspects throughout a renovation process; we refer to this as sustainable renovation. Some key starting points for the process model are to suggest routines, provide checklists and tools, and offer guidance for formulating sustainability targets. However, the interviews show that in order to reach a more sustainable built environment, there is a need for government subsidies, other incentives or new business models that value environmental aspects higher.

Keywords: sustainability management; renovation; housing; process; interviews; barriers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:6:p:6336-6352:d:50087

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