Transition to low carbon? An analysis of socio-technical change in housing renovation

Ralph Horne and Tony Dalton
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Ralph Horne: Design and Social Context, RMIT University, Australia
Tony Dalton: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Centre, RMIT University, Australia

Urban Studies, 2014, vol. 51, issue 16, 3445-3458

Abstract: Across the westernised world, concerns about climate change and resource scarcity point to the need for widescale changes in housing renovation. Through the exploration of social interactions of eco-renovation businesses on the ground, the paper presents evidence for the emergence of an ‘eco-renovation niche’ consisting of both traditional and new types of housing industry businesses. However, this niche is not clearly bounded, stable or homogenous, and so generalised ideas about how it may grow in scale or size are problematic. Niche participants typically wish to stay small. Also, complex household relations are involved, and hands-on experimentation is a feature of the industry participants. For policy purposes, this suggests a need to focus on strategic intermediaries in industry and professional associations, licensing bodies and regulators, who could in turn support programmes that more adequately recognise the modus operandi of the industry, households and civil society organisations.

Keywords: Australia; housing renovation; low carbon; transition; urban policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:51:y:2014:i:16:p:3445-3458

DOI: 10.1177/0042098013516684

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