Zero energy buildings and the rebound effect: A solution to the paradox of energy efficiency?

Bourrelle, Julien S.

doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.09.012

Cited by 27 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Two private owners PR7 and PR8 occupants show a slightly different pattern in their behavioural adaptation by adding more energy-intensive devices is due to a comfort-conscious attitude that confirms the findings regarding comfort and energy saving by [43]. These two households also echo the rebound effect discussed in a number of previous studies [44]. In this research, evidence of a low motivation to reduce energy use can be found in the interview with the PR7 and PR8 occupants.…”

Section: Social and Economic Demographicssupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Another topic that relates occupant behaviour to particularly low energy buildings is 'the rebound effect'. It is defined as an economic mechanism that drives an increase in energy consumption following a 'below-cost improvement' in energy efficiency [44]. In other words, the energy-saving house also acts as a potential incubator of non-sustainable behaviour.…”

Section: Research Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Do passive houses need passive people? Evaluating the active occupancy of Passivhaus homes in the United Kingdom

Zhao

Carter

2020

Energy Research & Social Science

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The Passivhaus model emphasises a high standard of building fabric insulation and controlled ventilation with heat recovery in order to achieve comfort and reduce energy use. The implication is that environmental control is achieved by the building fabric and ventilation system with little need for significant occupant interaction or behaviour change in order to achieve comfort and energy efficiency. This paper challenges such views with new research that draws upon empirical data from case studies of houses in the UK built to the Passivhaus standard. It uses inductive analysis of interview data, documenting userinteractions with the houses, and opinions and attitudes of the occupants towards living in a Passivhaus. The research includes both social rented housing and private ownership tenures. The results of this study show both comfort-driven and energy saving-driven behavioural adaptations among the occupants and that the Passivhaus system demands a high level of occupant interaction in order to achieve both comfort and energy efficiency. 'Designing out' occupant's behaviour and reinforcing the image of automated comfort without facilitating occupant behavioural adaptations, could lead to user dissatisfaction in Passivhaus buildings.

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Section: Social and Economic Demographicssupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Research Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do passive houses need passive people? Evaluating the active occupancy of Passivhaus homes in the United Kingdom

Zhao

Carter

2020

Energy Research & Social Science

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“…Improving energy efficiency of buildings is one of the UK government's targets to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions informed by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) [1]. Energy efficiency in the domestic sector has also been the focus of much research in recent years due to its significant impact on carbon emissions [2].…”

Section: Introduction and Research Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards energy-efficient retrofit of council housing in London: Assessing the impact of occupancy and energy-use patterns on building performance

Zahiri

Elsharkawy

2018

Energy and Buildings

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This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Highlights  Evaluating council housing building performance and occupants' energy use behaviour  Effects of occupants' energy use behaviour on building's energy efficiency  The impact of indoor environmental conditions on thermal comfort and energy use  Importance of energy and occupancy patterns in feasible energy use predictions  Tackling the fuel poverty by the energy efficient retrofit of the social housing

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“…Other authors further argue that not only capital costs but the total cost of ownership, or life cycle cost (LCC), should be considered [33,34]. This would also include, for instance, end-of-life (EoL) costs such as waste treatment costs.…”

Section: Changes In Product Attributes: From Fixed Output To Comparabmentioning

confidence: 99%

Roadmap to Rebound: How to Address Rebound Effects from Resource Efficiency Policy

2018

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Increasing demand for resources has been met with a new wave of resource efficiency policies worldwide. Such policies are, however, vulnerable to rebound effects when increased resource efficiency leads to additional resource use via behavioural and systemic responses. Yet, the implications of policy-induced rebounds are mostly unknown since most studies have focused on costless and exogenous efficiency improvements that are not linked to any specific policy intervention. After reviewing the literature, we provide guidance for the analysis of policy-induced rebounds. With regards to scope and method design, we highlight the untapped potential of life cycle assessment (to capture trade-offs between life cycle stages and environmental pressures) and macro-economic modelling (to reveal economic consequences beyond supply chain effects). We also find striking asymmetries in research efforts, leaving knowledge gaps for key resource efficiency strategies targeting, among others, materials, water, land, biodiversity, and waste. Lastly, rebound effects generally focus on a single resource, usually energy, and much is ignored about their implications in the context of resource interlinkages. A better understanding of such cross-resource rebounds is key to design and to assess the effectiveness of emerging policy paradigms such as the resource nexus and the sustainable development goals.

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Zero energy buildings and the rebound effect: A solution to the paradox of energy efficiency?

Cited by 27 publications

References 26 publications

Do passive houses need passive people? Evaluating the active occupancy of Passivhaus homes in the United Kingdom

Do passive houses need passive people? Evaluating the active occupancy of Passivhaus homes in the United Kingdom

Towards energy-efficient retrofit of council housing in London: Assessing the impact of occupancy and energy-use patterns on building performance

Roadmap to Rebound: How to Address Rebound Effects from Resource Efficiency Policy

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