Françoise Bartiaux

A practice–theory approach to homeowners' energy retrofits in four European areas

This article examines whether and how energy retrofitting of owner-occupied dwellings can be understood within the framework of social practice theories. Practice theories help to shift the focus towards more collective approaches and practices, rather than towards individuals. In addressing this question, energy retrofits are described and their variability compared in four European areas: Denmark, Latvia, the Coimbra area in Portugal and Wallonia in Belgium. Although these areas have different geographical, cultural and housing contexts, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) provides a common form of regulation. As a policy, its main underlying intention is to promote the opportunities for energy retrofitting. Based on an analysis of 60 in-depth interviews with homeowners, it is found that energy retrofitting is not an integrative practice in 2010, despite the EPBD and other efforts to enforce such a practice. This lack of a retrofitting practice exists for a variety of reasons: it is not sustained by common and conventionalized routines, and by shared know-how and goals among relevant actors (e.g. homeowners and craftsmen). Based on practice theories, novel policy recommendations are provided to help to constitute an energy-related renovation practice in detached owner-occupied houses.

Knowledge on Climate Change and Energy Saving Renovations by Apartment Owners in Bulgaria and Latvia. A Qualitative Study

Abstract: Do apartment owners in Bulgaria and Latvia carry out energy-saving practices in their homes, and what are the justifications thereof? Do they relate these practices to climate change or to their environmental knowledge? These are the main questions investigated in this research. Data are drawn from a qualitative survey of dwellers’ renovation activities and the motivations thereof. Results indicate that the poor conditions of multi-apartment buildings and the feeling of being cold or uncomfortable are sufficient levers driving energy-related renovations in privately-owned apartments. Environmental concern is never expressed as a lever for undertaking renovation, either in Bulgaria or in Latvia and there exist some scepticism and misunderstanding concerning climate change.

Chapter 3: Energy “Needs”, Desires, and Wishes : Anthropological Insights and Prospective Views

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces energy needs and decent lifestyle and their social and cultural preconceptions. It acknowledges, on one hand, that there are “biologic needs” related to every human existence and, on the other hand, that these are radically relative, historically and culturally. Therefore, it seems misguided to try to define “needs” as a particular set of objective conditions, which means neutrally and validly for others. A consequence of this observed relativity is the impossibility of defining as frivolous certain choices that a person or collective might make for themselves and consider an absolute necessity. The logic of “need” is never far from the logic of desire and wishes, and resists external constraints, even if they are collectively imposed and accepted, as illustrated by infringements of traffic codes. What makes the difference between survival defined as satisfying physiological necessities versus a life that is human and respects the environment and available resources may be the possibility of choosing for oneself diminished “needs” that are assumed as meaningful and not only as constraining. The autonomy principle defines the difference between physical survival and austere life.

Energy “Needs”, Desires, and Wishes: Anthropological Insights and Prospective Views

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces energy needs and decent lifestyle and their social and cultural preconceptions. It acknowledges, on one hand, that there are “biologic needs” related to every human existence and, on the other hand, that these are radically relative, historically and culturally. Therefore, it seems misguided to try to define “needs” as a particular set of objective conditions, which means neutrally and validly for others. A consequence of this observed relativity is the impossibility of defining as frivolous certain choices that a person or collective might make for themselves and consider an absolute necessity. The logic of “need” is never far from the logic of desire and wishes, and resists external constraints, even if they are collectively imposed and accepted, as illustrated by infringements of traffic codes. What makes the difference between survival defined as satisfying physiological necessities versus a life that is human and respects the environment and available resources may be the possibility of choosing for oneself diminished “needs” that are assumed as meaningful and not only as constraining. The autonomy principle defines the difference between physical survival and austere life.

Denatalite et marche matrimonial. Le cas de l'Italie en 1930-1950

The decline in the birth rate recorded in Italy between 1916 and 1919 began to affect marriage market as early as the midthirties. This imbalance was resolved through major changes in the relative ages of the spouses, which continue to be apparent in a couple analysis based on individual data drawn from the Census of 1981. The role of mortality and of widowhood - which lead to a selection as of couples surviving to 1981 - in assessed. Their impact turns out to be minimal. The article concludes with a discussion of the influence of circumstances that prevailed at the time these marriages took place (before, during and after the Second World War).

Energy Systems and Energy-Related Practices

In this chapter we attempt to synthesize two relevant bodies of social theory which can be used to understand how human beings—consumers, distributors, producers, and regulators—act in relation to energy systems. The two key words are actions and systems. Practice theories deal with how social life is constituted by practices, or is a product thereof, and with how “people perform the actions that compose practices” (Schatzki 2015: 27). Complexity theory is a general framework of reference which deals with systems which are emergent in character: that is to say they cannot be understood by an analytical programme which seeks to explain them in terms of the properties of their components taken alone. Our approach here is to begin with two sections which in somewhat brutal summary outline the essentials of social theories of practices and complexity theory. We then continue with a discussion of practice and action to show how they are interrelated into a web of interconnected practices. In a similar vein we develop a complexity theory founded discussion of the constraining and enabling role of systems. We then proceed to attempt a synthesis of practice theory and complexity theory with specific reference to how such a synthesis can help us to understand and shape the whole emergent complex system which incorporates institutions and humans and is reconstructed or reshaped by the interaction of all of these entities in daily life. On the basis of this synthesis we will try to make some policy recommendations which will really be about how policy makers should understand what they are trying to influence because such an understanding is foundational to effective intervention.

Energy “Needs”, Desires, and Wishes

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces energy needs and decent lifestyle and their social and cultural preconceptions. It acknowledges, on one hand, that there are “biologic needs” related to every human existence and, on the other hand, that these are radically relative, historically and culturally. Therefore, it seems misguided to try to define “needs” as a particular set of objective conditions, which means neutrally and validly for others. A consequence of this observed relativity is the impossibility of defining as frivolous certain choices that a person or collective might make for themselves and consider an absolute necessity. The logic of “need” is never far from the logic of desire and wishes, and resists external constraints, even if they are collectively imposed and accepted, as illustrated by infringements of traffic codes. What makes the difference between survival defined as satisfying physiological necessities versus a life that is human and respects the environment and available resources may be the possibility of choosing for oneself diminished “needs” that are assumed as meaningful and not only as constraining. The autonomy principle defines the difference between physical survival and austere life.

The role of population growth in global CO2 emissions

Abstract The principle of “differentiated responsibilities” of North and South in protecting the climate system against global warming is recognized in the Rio Framework Convention on Climate Change. We focus here on the quantification of one aspect of this issue: population growth versus growth in CO 2 /capita emissions. We first mention several problems raised by the way the Ehrlich-Holdren equation (Environmental impact=Population times Per capita impact) is used in the context of greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, we remind the importance of using the lowest possible aggregation level with this equation. We then apply this equation to population and fossil fuel-related CO 2 -emission data for nine regions of the world over the 1950–1990 period. The results of a scenario analysis using these data show that the increase in developed countries CO 2 emission per capita had a significantly larger impact on world total emission increase than LDCs (Less Developed Countries) population growth during that period. It is also shown that population growth in developed countries had a larger effect than LDCs population growth.