Wasted expertise: Why doesn’t retrofit include residents?
Retrofitting social housing is key to reaching urgent climate goals. Integrating residents as a stakeholder in retrofit processes can transform social housing into sustainable homes. Residents are experts in the way they live and reliance on techno-optimist approaches to deep energy retrofit fail to...
| Autores: | , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya) |
| Repositorio: | Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:recercat.cat:20.500.14342/5643 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/5643 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2024.103894 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Situated knowledge Techno-optimism Renovation Social housing Decision-making 69 71 72 |
| Sumario: | Retrofitting social housing is key to reaching urgent climate goals. Integrating residents as a stakeholder in retrofit processes can transform social housing into sustainable homes. Residents are experts in the way they live and reliance on techno-optimist approaches to deep energy retrofit fail to utilise their situated knowledge. This research provides new insights into effective retrofit decision-making processes that prioritise social equity alongside environmental goals. Fifteen semi-structured interviews with Housing Association, Architect, and Architect-led cooperative stakeholders in various European locations, were investigated using a thematic analysis, to answer the following research question: “How do stakeholders (not)utilise residents' situated knowledge and expertise in retrofit design?”. Five themes were identified in the data, ascending from the least inclusive to most inclusive of resident stakeholders: external factors influence decision-making; building design is the priority; integrated communication between high-level stakeholders and resident stakeholders; importance of social value; and residents have choice. The results identified three key components to sustainable retrofit: (1) architects and passive design-thinking, (2) retrofit technologies should complement passive design, and (3) resident expertise can balance building needs, energy needs, and social needs. Hybrid decision-making processes should prioritise resident stakeholders to address actual needs, avoid tokenism, and ensure residents' central role in internal governance. Results can guide high-level retrofit stakeholders and policy-makers in shaping hybrid retrofit processes and empower social housing residents to engage with retrofitting projects. |
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