HOUSING ENERGY-RELATED RENOVATIONS BASED ON PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL AND LIFESTYLE STANDARDS: PORTUGUESE HOMEOWNERS

Resumo

Recent studies have argued that energy-related renovations, which are not distinctive from other house improvements, must be socially contextualized and interwoven with householders’ daily social practices. Based on a practice-theory approach, this study explores how tastes, lifestyles and social values and norms can shape homeowners’ energy renovation practices. The study conducted semi-structured interviews with energy advisors and residents of owner-occupied housing in the North-eastern of Portugal, where purposive sampling techniques were used to manage participant selection. Results suggest that there are differentiated taste-motivated issues that could incentivize homeowners to renovate. This highlights the importance for public policy-makers to understand the diversity of homeowners’ desires and preferences regarding house renovation activities. Reflecting upon this diversity inside the household domain, gender differences reveal to be a significant factor in domestic energy management. These findings also corroborate those of previous works on how home renovation decisions reflect societal values and norms that determine “what would look nice” to have in a house, and why visible renovations (usually non-energy related) are often prioritized. An implication derived from these findings is that energy policies should be drawn in a way that portray energy efficiency in houses as fashionable as other consumer goods related with home design. These involve inter alia innovative partnerships between energy policy-makers and household products industries, home design magazines, marketing experts or real estate experts, which have the know-how to shape people’s tendencies and tastes.