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Energy-related standards and UK speculative office development

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Energy-related standards and UK speculative office development. / Cass, Noel Flay.
In: Building Research & Information, Vol. 46, No. 6, 06.2018, p. 615-635.

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Cass NF. Energy-related standards and UK speculative office development. Building Research & Information. 2018 Jun;46(6):615-635. Epub 2017 Jul 14. doi: 10.1080/09613218.2017.1333351

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Cass, Noel Flay. / Energy-related standards and UK speculative office development. In: Building Research & Information. 2018 ; Vol. 46, No. 6. pp. 615-635.

Bibtex

@article{40181afd75984274af5054a8fc7bd72b,
title = "Energy-related standards and UK speculative office development",
abstract = "Non-domestic buildings have great potential for energy-related emission reductions in response to climate change. However, high specification office buildings in the UK demonstrate that regulation, assessment and certification ({\textquoteleft}standards{\textquoteright}) have not incentivised the development of lower energy office buildings as expected. Making use of the concepts of {\textquoteleft}qualculation{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}calculative agency{\textquoteright}, qualitative case studies of 10 speculatively developed office buildings in London, UK provide new insight into why this is the case. Interview data (n = 57) are used to illustrate how {\textquoteleft}market standards{\textquoteright} substitute for user needs, and ratchet up the provision of building services to competitively maximise marketability. The examples of energy modelling and the market{\textquoteright}s (mis)use of British Council for Offices guidelines are used to explain how such standards perversely bolster energy-demanding levels of specification and building services, and militate against lower energy design, in the sector researched. The potentials for alternative, performance-based standards and new industry norms of quality are discussed. It is concluded that at least the London speculative office market by its very constitution and operation, including the reliance on standards, continues to create increasingly energy-demanding buildings.",
keywords = "Energy, Design, Low-energy buildings, Markets, Offices, Performance-based specification, Property market, Qualculation, Specification, Standards",
author = "Cass, {Noel Flay}",
year = "2018",
month = jun,
doi = "10.1080/09613218.2017.1333351",
language = "English",
volume = "46",
pages = "615--635",
journal = "Building Research & Information",
issn = "0961-3218",
publisher = "TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD",
number = "6",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Energy-related standards and UK speculative office development

AU - Cass, Noel Flay

PY - 2018/6

Y1 - 2018/6

N2 - Non-domestic buildings have great potential for energy-related emission reductions in response to climate change. However, high specification office buildings in the UK demonstrate that regulation, assessment and certification (‘standards’) have not incentivised the development of lower energy office buildings as expected. Making use of the concepts of ‘qualculation’ and ‘calculative agency’, qualitative case studies of 10 speculatively developed office buildings in London, UK provide new insight into why this is the case. Interview data (n = 57) are used to illustrate how ‘market standards’ substitute for user needs, and ratchet up the provision of building services to competitively maximise marketability. The examples of energy modelling and the market’s (mis)use of British Council for Offices guidelines are used to explain how such standards perversely bolster energy-demanding levels of specification and building services, and militate against lower energy design, in the sector researched. The potentials for alternative, performance-based standards and new industry norms of quality are discussed. It is concluded that at least the London speculative office market by its very constitution and operation, including the reliance on standards, continues to create increasingly energy-demanding buildings.

AB - Non-domestic buildings have great potential for energy-related emission reductions in response to climate change. However, high specification office buildings in the UK demonstrate that regulation, assessment and certification (‘standards’) have not incentivised the development of lower energy office buildings as expected. Making use of the concepts of ‘qualculation’ and ‘calculative agency’, qualitative case studies of 10 speculatively developed office buildings in London, UK provide new insight into why this is the case. Interview data (n = 57) are used to illustrate how ‘market standards’ substitute for user needs, and ratchet up the provision of building services to competitively maximise marketability. The examples of energy modelling and the market’s (mis)use of British Council for Offices guidelines are used to explain how such standards perversely bolster energy-demanding levels of specification and building services, and militate against lower energy design, in the sector researched. The potentials for alternative, performance-based standards and new industry norms of quality are discussed. It is concluded that at least the London speculative office market by its very constitution and operation, including the reliance on standards, continues to create increasingly energy-demanding buildings.

KW - Energy

KW - Design

KW - Low-energy buildings

KW - Markets

KW - Offices

KW - Performance-based specification

KW - Property market

KW - Qualculation

KW - Specification

KW - Standards

U2 - 10.1080/09613218.2017.1333351

DO - 10.1080/09613218.2017.1333351

M3 - Journal article

VL - 46

SP - 615

EP - 635

JO - Building Research & Information

JF - Building Research & Information

SN - 0961-3218

IS - 6

ER -