Transitioning to energy efficient housing: Drivers and barriers of intermediaries in heat pump technology

Abstract

Since the Paris Agreement of 2015, 195 countries, including Belgium, have committed themselves to keep the earth from becoming warmer than 1,5 degrees C since pre-industrial levels. By building and renovating in a more sustainable way, greenhouse gasses can be contained. Previous studies already demonstrated the influence and decisive role of the individual homeowner in energy retrofitting. Recent research highlights that energy efficient renovations are not a solo slim game by the homeowner itself, but a collaboration between various intermediaries and the homeowner. By conducting in-depth interviews, with a focus on the installation of heat pump technology, we identified a series of drivers and barriers that intermediaries experience when installing heat pumps. These drivers and barriers where structured and analyzed according to the "Alphabet theory-framework". As a result, this paper provides four concrete propositions that can be applied by policymakers that face similar challenges in the transition to climate neutral buildings: (1) Intermediaries should be aided and supported in recommending heat pumps to private homeowners, (2) Inform, guide, and sensitize intermediaries about up-to-date heat pump installations, (3) Sensitize homeowners by providing non-complex information in a centralized and accessible place, (4) Facilitate knowledge transfer between intermediaries who offer their services to the same consumers, transcending time.