Building Professionals Facing the Energy Efficiency Challenge

Géraldine Molina is a Doctor of Geography and Urban Planning, and a CNRS researcher at ESO (UMR 6590) and IRSTV (FR 2488). Her research focuses on the relationships between cities, urban societies and environmental issues, including climate and energy.Marjorie Musy is a Doctor of Civil Engineering. She is Director of Research at Cerema and Deputy Director of IRSTV (FR 2488). Her research focuses on the thermal properties of buildings in connection with urban microclimatology.Margot Lefranc is a town planner and geographer, and has worked in various study offices and local authorities before joining the EIVP as a research assistant. Her work focuses on the integration of energy and climate issues in the spheres of operational and regulatory planning.

• Contributions and Acknowledgements ixIntroduction xiChapter 1 A Look at “Performance” Buildings: An Interdisciplinary Survey of Professionals 11.1 Stakeholders for understanding the challenges of energy, the climate and the environment 11.1.1 The virtues of active building professionals entering into participation 11.1.2 Context and interrelationships around energy-related challenges: the positioning of building professionals 61.1.3 Common themes and the questions of the survey 121.2 The survey of building professionals in France 141.2.1 A nation-wide exploratory survey 151.2.2 Complementary investigation methods 161.2.3 The analysis: “a radical interdisciplinarity” to question professionnal dynamics in construction and energy 201.2.4 Cross-connections with research on professionals from the territories 24Chapter 2 Uneasiness Among Professionals: Multiple Obstacles 292.1 A host of constraints 302.1.1 Heterogeneity and the lack of training and skills 312.1.2 Multiplication of constraints, economic crises and marketing hype 322.2 Prometheus syndrome: The belief in new techniques as a silver bullet 332.2.1 The belief in and overreliance on techniques 332.2.2 Historical amnesia: The lack of a diachronic perspective and knowledge about the history of technology, construction and architecture 362.2.3 The inhabitant as disembodied end user 372.3 The “Exquisite Corpse” syndrome: segmentation and the challenges and actors 392.3.1 The segmentation of the energy issue 392.3.2 The lack of communication and the “blame game” played between actors 412.4 From experimentation to standardization and its adverse effects 442.4.1 Issues and setbacks in the transition to standardization 452.4.2 The adverse effects of standardization 482.4.3 A sort of modernism making a comeback ? 512.5 Multi-criteria testing: The “trajectory” of problems and solutions 512.5.1 The replication of counterproductive decisions 522.5.2 “Ostrich syndrome” and “path dependence” 532.5.3 The concept of trajectory: “divergence” phenomena and its effects 572.6 From a crisis of obstacles, to the devices and the resources needed for a transition 59Chapter 3 The Characteristics of the Pioneers: Trajectories, Construction, and the Advancement of Their Skills 613.1 Adherence to ecological values and the broad array of systems for engagement 613.1.1 Environmental sensitivity 613.1.2. Wearing many hats: the commitment to a multilateral approach .. 633.1.3 Personal experimentation as a driving force for innovation 653.1.4 Atypical profiles and career paths, and significant professional mobility 673.1.5 The role of reading, the Internet and documentaries 713.2 Construction, distribution and adaptation of knowledge, expertise and skills 763.2.1 Different countries, regions, and inspiring projects 763.2.2 Geographic mobility: movement and transformation of models 783.2.3 The role of associations and networks 883.2.4 The role of women and the issue of feminization 92Appendix Selection of First-Hand Accounts from Building Area Participants 971 Alain Bornarel 1032 Alexandre da Silva 1193 Frank Dimitropoulos 1314 Michaël Fournier 1395 Jean-Marc Gary 1496 Françoise-Hélène Jourda 1677 Milena Karanesheva and Mischa Witzmann 1858 Yves Lion 1999 Bertrand Montarou 21110 Marine Morain 22711 Vincent Pierré 24712 Laurent Vacher-Bruel 25913 Jean-Luc Vallade 26714 Delphine Saint-Quentin 27715 Marika Frenette 289Conclusion 301Bibliography 305Index 327