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This chapter gives an overview of research that describes user experiences with different types of energy-efficient buildings, focusing on indoor climate, technical operation, user attitudes and general satisfaction. Energy-efficient buildings are often rated better than conventional buildings on indoor climate, but on digging deeper, users have different concerns. The varying results from the user evaluations reflect that the quality of buildings differs. However, the complaints may also be a result of inappropriate use. The main aim of this chapter is to give guidelines for further research, based on existing user evaluations of energyefficient buildings. Three important areas for further research on user evaluations could be identified. First, there is a shortage of research that takes into account the social context for evaluation; the social environment, the process of moving into an energy-efficient building and prior knowledge of environmental issues influence evaluation of the buildings. Energy-efficient buildings may also require specific architectural solutions and further research should consider architectural and aesthetic aspects in the evaluation. Research on the use and operation of energy-efficient buildings is increasing, but there is still a need to give more detailed attention to different ways of providing information and training in operation and use.

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The Positive Energy District (PED) concept is a localized city and district level response to the challenges of greenhouse gas emission reduction and energy transition. With the Strategic Energy Transition (SET) Plan aiming to establish 100 PEDs by 2025 in Europe, a number of PED projects are emerging in the EU member states. While the energy transition is mainly focusing on technical innovations, social innovation is crucial to guarantee the uptake and deployment of PEDs in the built environment. We set the spotlight on Norway, which, to date, has three PED projects encompassing 12 PED demo sites in planning and early implementation stages, from which we extract approaches for social innovations and discuss how these learnings can contribute to further PED planning and implementation. We describe the respective approaches and learnings for social innovation of the three PED projects, ZEN, +CityxChange and syn.ikia, in a multiple case study approach. Through the comparison of these projects, we start to identify social innovation approaches with different scopes regarding citizen involvement, stakeholder interaction and capacity building. These insights are also expected to contribute to further planning and design of PED projects within local and regional networks (PEDs in Nordic countries) and contribute to international PED concept development.

Purpose -The article's aim is to present user experiences with passive houses and zero-energy buildings. The focus is on the interaction between the building and the users, specifically on how user interfaces, knowledge, and commitment influence the use of the building and the level of energy consumption awareness. Design/methodology/approach -The study follows an explorative grounded theory approach. This approach generates insights that will be consolidated in follow-up studies. Qualitative interviews with users of six buildings were conducted. Site inspections applying walk-through method and other available information complement the data. Findings -Users in general were satisfied with having a new energy efficient building. Several respondents were more concerned about the environment now than before. However, there were concerns about thermal comfort. Misuse or misunderstandings among users in some cases led to lower indoor comfort. New or dissatisfactory design solutions were also responsible for unsatisfactory indoor environmental quality. Practical implications -Specific topics that should be paid more attention to in the design and research on new energy efficient buildings: level of end-user control and adaptability of the building; level of complexity of systems; the need for adequate information. Originality/value -The open approach enabled occupants to influence the parameters of the evaluations. Most evaluations of zero-energy buildings are not yet publicly accessible.

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