Innovations in Building Processes and Policies for the Energy Renovations of Buildings

Dear Colleagues,

Despite climate agreements, energy transition targets and policies concerning energy efficiency, the renovation rates have remained low. The European Union defined the goal for reducing carbon emissions in residential sectors as 88%–91% by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels). However, to date, 85% of EU’s 160 million existing buildings are showing thermally bad conditions, and only about 1.2% are renovated each year. Technological and financial solutions to improve rates are available, but home owners do not use them as much as intended.

Innovation of processes and policies is essential to safeguard the implementation of technology innovation in the housing energy renovation. Existing technologies are often too expensive and, in combination with many obstacles in the process, the demand by home owners is very low. Cost reductions could be achieved by industrialisation of the building industry and reducing transactions costs of the renovation processes.

This Special Issue calls for papers addressing approaches, theories, case studies and strategies on process innovation for building energy renovations. It seeks for the root problems that cause the low renovation rate from the perspectives of policy makers, market stakeholders, professionals, occupants, etc. It addresses the multifaceted phenomena with a deep understanding of the institution and process (barriers and transaction costs), people (cognition and behaviour) and resources (information, incentives and intervention) combined.

Prof. Dr. Henk Visscher
Dr. Queena K. Qian
Guest Editors

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