| 1. |
- Gustavsson, Leif, et al.
(author)
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Energy systems in transition: perspectives for the diffusion of small-scale wood pellet heating technology
- 2005
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In: International Journal of Technology Management. - 0267-5730 .- 1741-5276. ; 29:3/4, s. 327-347
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In response to environmental and supply security concerns associated with fossil fuels, promising small-scale wood heating systems with sizable market potentials have started to penetrate the residential heating market in Europe and elsewhere. Despite significant technological progress that led to cost reduction, increased levels of convenience, improved reliability and reduced environmental impact, the widespread diffusion of such systems will nonetheless take many years or even decades. Framework and market conditions, and especially drivers and barriers and the overall merits of such systems in comparison to alternative solutions, need to be properly understood by policy-makers and entrepreneurs for the successful promotion of these technologies. In this article we cover three important aspects related to small-scale wood pellet heating systems. First, we summarise recent technological, socio-economic and institutional trends. Second, results from a comparative analysis of the direct and indirect external costs and benefits of these technologies versus other heating technologies are reported. Third, the usefulness of various diffusion modelling approaches used in economics is discussed in the light of the technology scrutinised and existing data constraints.
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| 2. |
- Gustavsson, Leif, et al.
(author)
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Implementing energy efficiency measures in existing Swedish building stock
- 2008
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In: World Sustainable Energy Days 2008, 5-7 March 2008, Wels, Austria.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is a large potential for improving energy efficiency in the existing Swedish building stock. However, how successful the implementation of the efficiency measures will be, depends on economical and technical factors as well as on the attitudes and perceptions of the relevant actors. In this paper we use Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory to analyze various factors affecting implementation of energy efficiency measures in the Swedish detached houses and apartment buildings. Results of recent Swedish household surveys concerning adoption of heating systems showed that majority of the respondents were satisfied with their heating systems and did not intend to install a new one. Economic aspects and functional reliability were important factors in the choice of heating systems, while installers/vendors were the most important sources of information on heating system. We discuss upcoming empirical studies on implementation of other energy efficiency measures, e.g. energy efficient windows and additional insulation, including that of heating systems, in detached houses and apartment buildings.
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| 3. |
- Gustavsson, Leif, et al.
(author)
-
Småhusägares inställning till fjärrvärme, pelletspannor och värmepumpar : Report prepared for Swedish Association of Pellet Producers (PiR), Stockholm, Sweden (in Swedish)
- 2008
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- I Sveriges villabestånd finns det en stor potential att ersätta elvärme och oljepannor med fjärrvärme, pelletspannor och värmepumpar. Vi analyserade effekterna av det svenska investeringsbidraget för konvertering från oljepannor och direktverkande el med s.k. “adopter-centric” metodik och hur konverteringen till fjärrvärme, pelletspannor och värmepumpar varierade. Resultaten från enkätundersökningar, som genomfördes hos 1500 slumpvist utvalda husägare i Sverige i september 2004 och januari 2007, visade att över 80% inte avsåg att byta värmesystem. Det trots att ca 37% av de svenska villaägarna fortfarande har el- eller oljeuppvärmning. Det statliga investeringsbidraget var viktigt för konvertering från direktverkande el, men inte för konvertering från olja. Det beror på att de flesta husägarna redan har bytt ut sina oljepannor, medan få har konverterat bort direktverkande el. De som konverterar bort från oljepannor är eftersläntrare, medan de som konverterar bort från el är ”tidiga anammare”. Ekonomi och driftsäkerhet var de viktigaste faktorerna när husägare skall välja mellan olika värmesystem. Olika värmesystem upplevs ha olika fördelar och det påverkar spridningsmönstret för konverteringen till nya värmesystem. Installatörer och personliga kontakter angavs vara de viktigaste källorna för information om nya värmesystem.
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| 4. |
- Gustavsson, Leif, et al.
(author)
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Swedish Homewoners´ attitude towards water-based heating systems
- 2008
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In: World Bioenergy 2008, 26-29 May, Jönköping, Sweden. - : Swedish Bioenergy Association.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In 2004 and 2007, we conducted questionnaire surveys of 1,500 randomly selected Swedish homeowners of detached houses to understand their attitude towards adopting an innovative heating system (IHS). The results showed that there was no substantial change in homeowners’ attitude towards IHSs. More than 80% of the respondents did not intend to install a new heating system. Economic aspects and functional reliability were the most important factors in the respondents’ choice of heating system while environmental factors were of less importance. Installers were the most frequently consulted source of information on heating systems. Respondents perceived the relative advantage of pellet boilers over oil or electricity-based heating systems, but bedrock heat pump system was ranked higher than pellet heating system in every aspect except for investment cost. Pellet heating system has advantages with respect to investment cost. District heating system was considered as most functionally reliable and automatic.
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| 5. |
- Gustavsson, Leif, et al.
(author)
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Swedish house owners perception of pellet heating systems
- 2006
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In: Proceedings of the Second World Conference on Pellets (Pellets 2006), 30 May-1 June, Jönköping, Sweden. - : Swedish Bioenergy Association. - 9163189615
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In response to the problems of global warming and security issues associated with the supply of fossil fuel use, bioenergy systems such as small-scale pellet heating systems (SSPHS) have been developed in Europe and elsewhere. In Sweden, SSPHS for the residential sector have been available on the market for about ten years, but the diffusion rate is rather slow. Research to analyse the diffusion of innovation is important, as this aspect determines the success of a technology. In this context, we recently carried out a questionnaire survey on Swedish house owners� perception of different heating systems. The sample consisted of about 1500 Swedish house owners selected through stratified random sampling. The results of the survey regarding pellet heating systems revealed that the annual cost of heating with the new heating system, functional reliability, investment cost, and in-door air quality are the four most important factors, in decreasing order of importance, in heating system choice. Environmental friendliness and low greenhouse gas emission are considered to be less important. Respondents consider SSPHS to be second to bedrock heat pumps in every aspect except for investment cost and therefore, such systems diffuse slowly in Sweden.
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| 6. |
- Gustavsson, Leif, et al.
(author)
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The role of wood material for greenhouse gas mitigation
- 2006
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In: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1381-2386 .- 1573-1596. ; 11:5-6, s. 1097-1127
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Based on an interdisciplinary perspective the role of wood as a carbon sink, as a multipurpose material, and as a renewable energy source for the net reduction of greenhouse gases is discussed. We synthesize aspects from engineering, natural and social sciences to better understand the role of wood substitution in CO2 mitigation.We also formulate some recommendations on filling knowledge gaps that could be useful for policy making regarding how wood substitution could be further expanded. There are sufficient wood resources to substantially increase the use of wood for material and energy purposes. However, a number of factors hinder a wider use of wood for energy and material purposes. Furthermore, an analysis of wood substitution is a very complex issue, since the substitution influencing factors are to be found along the entire wood supply chain and involve several industries, socio-economic and cultural aspects, traditions, price dynamics, and structural and technical change. To improve the knowledge about wood as a substitute for other resources and the implications, it would be helpful to better integrate research from different disciplines on the subject and to cover different scales from a project to an economy-wide level.
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| 7. |
- Gustavsson, Leif, et al.
(author)
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Using biomass for climate change mitigation and oil use reduction
- 2007
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In: Energy Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0301-4215 .- 1873-6777. ; 35:11, s. 5671-5691
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper, we examine how an increased use of biomass could efficiently meet Swedish energy policy goals of reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and oil use. In particular, we examine the trade-offs inherent when biomass use is intended to pursue multiple objectives. We set up four scenarios in which up to 400 PJ/year of additional biomass is prioritised to reduce CO2 emissions, reduce oil use, simultaneously reduce both CO2 emission and oil use, or to produce ethanol to replace gasoline. Technologies analysed for using the biomass include the production of electricity, heat, and transport fuels, and also as construction materials and other products. We find that optimising biomass use for a single objective (either CO2 emission reduction or oil use reduction) results in high fulfilment of that single objective (17.4 Tg C/year and 350 PJ oil/year, respectively), at a monetary cost of 130–330 million €/year, but with low fulfilment of the other objective. A careful selection of biomass uses for combined benefits results in reductions of 12.6 Tg C/year and 230 PJ oil/year (72% and 67%, respectively, of the reductions achieved in the scenarios with single objectives), with a monetary benefit of 45 million €/year. Prioritising for ethanol production gives the lowest CO2 emissions reduction, intermediate oil use reduction, and the highest monetary cost.
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| 8. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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An adopter-centric approach to analyze the diffusion patterns of innovative residential heating systems in Sweden
- 2008
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In: Energy Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0301-4215 .- 1873-6777. ; 36:2, s. 577-590
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Innovation and diffusion of renewable energy technologies play a major role in mitigation of climate change. In Sweden replacing electric and oil heating systems with innovative heating systems such as district heating, heat pumps and wood pellet boilers in detached homes is a significant mitigation option. Using an adopter-centric approach we analyzed the influence of investment subsidy on conversion of resistance heaters and oil boilers, and the variation in diffusion pattern of district heating, heat pumps and pellet boilers in Swedish detached homes. Results from questionnaire surveys of 1,500 randomly selected homeowners in September 2004 and January 2007 showed that more than 80% of the respondents did not intend to install a new heating system. Hence, about 37% of the homeowners still have electric and oil heating systems. The government investment subsidy was important for conversion from a resistance heater, but not from an oil boiler. This is because homeowners currently replacing their oil boilers are the laggards, while those replacing resistance heaters are the �early adopters�. Economic aspects and functional reliability were the most important factors for the homeowners when considering a new heating system. There is a variation in the perceived advantages associated with each of the innovative heating systems and therefore, the diffusion patterns of such systems vary. Installers and interpersonal sources were the most important communication channels for information on heating systems.
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| 9. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Bioenergy innovations: the case of wood pellet systems in Sweden
- 2007
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In: Technology Analysis & Strategic Management. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0953-7325 .- 1465-3990. ; 19:1, s. 99-125
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the context of global warming and dependence on fossil fuels, modern bioenergy systems have evolved with a large global potential. Small-scale pellet heating systems for space heating of detached houses is one application of bioenergy technology. In Sweden, such systems have advantages over oil-fired and electric boiler systems in terms of the total lifecycle heating cost to consumers. However, the diffusion of this technology into the market has hitherto been rather slow. By combining an extended configuration cycle model with a dynamic multi-level perspective on system innovation, we have studied the factors involved in the diffusion of such systems in Sweden. The results indicate that investment cost may not be the major issue, but that other factors such as annual fuel cost of heating, lack of information, dissatisfaction of early adopters, and technology lock-in are among the most important factors.
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| 10. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
-
Cost-effectiveness of using wood frames in the production of multi-storey buildings in Sweden
- 2009
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Production cost of buildings is a complex issue to analyze with high variation and several uncertainties. In this report we give an overview of the production cost effectiveness of a change from traditional concrete-framed building practice to wood-frame building practice. The frame material itself may not significantly influence the production cost, but there is potential for cost reduction in the activities associated with a change from concrete to wooden frames. From the review of existing studies it could not be concluded that the production cost of wood-framed buildings was lower than that of a concrete-framed building. However, with increased construction, the production cost of wood-framed buildings could be reduced due to the influence of “learning”.
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| 11. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Diffusion of energy-saving innovative heating systems in Sweden - a consumer survey approach
- 2006
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In: Proceedings. ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings 2006, August 13-18, Pacific Grove, California (CD-ROM).
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In Sweden, considerable energy efficiency and greenhouse gas mitigation could be achieved through the conversion of 500,000 detached houses from electricity-based heating systems to district heating, heat pumps or pellet boiler systems. House owners are central in the diffusion of innovative heating systems as they make the adoption decision. Hence, we carried out an empirical analysis of the factors affecting house owners� decisions to adopt a heating system. In June 2005 we sent out questionnaires to about 700 Swedish house owners residing in the city of Östersund, whose houses were originally built with resistance heaters. The results reveal that about 84% of the respondents had no plans to install a new heating system. Economic aspects, functional reliability and indoor air quality were the important factors in respondents� choice of a heating system. A district heating system has advantages with respect to functional reliability, indoor air quality, maintenance cost, system automation and time required for collection of information. A bedrock heat pump system has advantages with respect to annual cost of heating, indoor air quality, security of fuel supply, environmental benignity and market value of the house. A pellet heating system has an advantage with respect to investment cost.
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| 12. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-
(author)
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Diffusion of innovative domestic heating systems and multi-storey wood-framed buildings in Sweden
- 2007
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The diffusion of innovations that promote sustainable use of forest resources and energy efficiency is important for reducing greenhouse gas emission and dependency on oil. In this thesis the ‘systems of innovation’ (SI)The SI analyses showed that several sources of path dependency, resulting from the establishment and growth of the concrete-based construction system over the past 100 years, hinder the expansion of a wood-based multi-storeyThe adopter-centric approach included household questionnaire surveys: one covering the whole of Sweden in 2004 involving 1500 randomly selected homeowners with any type of heating system, and another in the city of Östersund inThe expansion of district heating networks in the detached home sector, particularly those homes with resistance heaters, is often considered difficult. However, results showed that, in Östersund, the government investment
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| 13. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Diffusion of innovative heating systems in detached homes in Sweden
- 2008
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In: International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy. - 1472-8923. ; 6:4, s. 343-367
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Swedish homeowners' perception of Innovative Heating Systems (IHSs) was studied through a questionnaire survey. Most of the respondents were satisfied with their existing heating systems and were not planning to install a new one. They considered economic factors and functional reliability the most important factors in the choice of a heating system. Hence, economic policy instruments appear to be efficient in inducing homeowners to install an IHS. Installers were the most important source of information. The perceived advantages of pellet boilers were fewer than those of heat pumps and therefore, they were diffusing slower than heat pumps in Sweden.
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| 14. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Diffusion of innovative small-scale pellet heating systems in the residential sector in the context of oil and electricity-based systems
- 2005
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In: Proceedings. 14th European Conference and Technology Exhibition on Biomass for Energy Industry and Climate Protection, Paris (France), 17-21 Oct 2005. - Florence : ETA.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A questionnaire survey of 1500 detached house owners was carried out in the autumn of 2004 to find out the factors influencing the adoption and diffusion of pellet heating systems in the Swedish residential sector. Results revealed that most of the respondents are satisfied with their existing heating systems and have not planned to install new heating systems. Economic aspects and functional reliability are important factors in the respondents� choice of heating system while environmental factors are of less importance. Therefore, internalizing external costs, such as environmental costs, might be effective in influencing house owners to adopt environmentally benign heating systems. Installers are the most important source of information on heating systems. Hence, they should be trained to inform the consumer comprehensively about different heating systems. Respondents perceive the relative advantage of pellet boilers over oil or electricity-based heating systems, but bedrock heat pumps are considered better than pellet boilers and therefore diffuse faster.
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| 15. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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General Conditions for Construction of Multi-storey Wooden Buildings in Western Europe
- 2009
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The market penetration of multi-storey wooden buildings, and regulations, perceptions and promotion of such construction varies among Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, United Kingdom (UK) and Sweden. It seems that the wood construction system in Sweden is passing from a formative phase to growth phase, while in all other countries they are still in the formative phase. Conditions for market growth of multi-storey construction seem to be most favourable in Sweden followed by Ireland, UK, Germany and the Netherlands.
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| 16. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Historical development and homeowners’ perception of pellet boilers in Sweden
- 2009
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In: 17<sup>th</sup> European Biomass Conference and Exhibition – From Research to Industry and Markets, 29 June – 3 July, Hamburg, Germany.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Sweden leads in use of wood pellets for space heating. The oil crises of the 1970s and the concern for climate change in the early 1990s contributed significantly to the market development. Installation of pellet boilers in detached houses has grown tremendously, but to further improve market demand an understanding of homeowners’ perception of such heating system vis-à-vis other heating systems is required. We conducted questionnaire surveys of 1500 randomly selected owners of detached houses in autumn 2004, spring 2007 and summer 2008. Respondents consistently gave high priority to economic aspects and functional reliability in their choice of a heating system, while environmental factors were given less importance. Therefore, internalizing the external costs in homeowners heating cost might be effective in influencing homeowners to adopt environmentally benign heating systems. Respondents thought that pellet boilers had the lowest investment cost, while district heating system was most functionally reliable. Heat pumps were considered best with respect to the annual cost of heating, environmental benignity, increased market value of the house, and low greenhouse gas emission.
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| 17. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Influencing Swedish homeowners to adopt district heating system
- 2009
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In: Applied Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0306-2619 .- 1872-9118. ; 86:2, s. 144-154
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Improved energy efficiency and greenhouse gas mitigation could be achieved by replacing resistance heaters with district heating system. In 2005, only about 8% of the Swedish detached houses had district heating system. The expansion of such systems largely depends on homeowners’ adoption decisions. And, to motivate homeowners to adopt district heating, it is essential to understand their decision-making process. In this context, in June 2005 we carried out a questionnaire survey of about 700 homeowners who lived in the city of Östersund in houses with resistance heaters (baseline survey). About 84% of the respondents did not intend to install a new heating system. Since then these homeowners were influenced by (a) an investment subsidy by the Swedish government to replace resistance heaters with district heating, a brine/water-based heat pump, or a biomass-based heating system and (b) a marketing campaign by the municipality-owned district heating company. This paper analyses how these two measures influenced about 78% of the homeowners to adopt the district heating system. For this purpose we carried out a follow-up survey of the same homeowners in December 2006 (resurvey). Results showed that the investment subsidy and the marketing campaign created a need among the homeowners to adopt a new heating system. The marketing campaign was successful in motivating them to adopt the district heating system. The marketing strategy by the district heating company corresponds to the results obtained in the baseline survey.
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| 18. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Innovative approaches to domestic heating: homeowners’ perceptions and factors influencing their choice of heating system
- 2008
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In: International Journal of Consumer Studies. - : Wiley. - 1470-6423 .- 1470-6431. ; 32:1, s. 75-87
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The paper focuses on Swedish homeowners' perceptions of innovative heating systems, and those factors that influence their decision to adopt a new heating system. The systems studied were: district heating, heat pumps and pellet boilers. Results of two household surveys - one covering the whole of Sweden in autumn 2004 and the other in the city of Östersund in summer 2005 - revealed that approximately 80% of the survey respondents, particularly those with resistance heaters, did not intend to install an innovative heating system. Economic aspects, functional reliability and indoor air quality were found to be the most important factors influencing respondents' choice of a heating system. Survey respondents thought that a bedrock heat pump system has a number of advantages with respect to the annual cost of heating, security of fuel supply, environmental benignity, market value of the home and low greenhouse gas emission. A district heating system has advantages regarding functional reliability, system automation and time required to obtain information. A pellet boiler system has one main advantage: investment cost. Compared with homeowners having other types of heating systems, those with resistance heaters accorded more importance to investment cost due to the high cost of installing a water-based system for heat distribution within the home.
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| 19. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Multi-storey timber buildings – breaking industry path dependency
- 2008
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In: Building Research & Information. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0961-3218 .- 1466-4321. ; 36:6, s. 638-648
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Swedish legal restriction on construction of multi-storey timber buildings was imposed in 1888 and repealed in 1994. The subsequent emergence of such a timber building system in Sweden is analysed in the context of the existing concrete-based construction system. The characteristics of the construction industry and its path dependency over the past century hamper the development of a timber building system. However, government policies and funding, the wood industry’s interest in an enhanced market for value-added wood products, and involvement of the wood research community has helped develop such a construction system. Investments in knowledge creation, incentives for the entry of new firms, and increased prefabrication may facilitate a transition from this formative phase to a growth phase in the diffusion of timber buildings.
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| 20. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Perceptional and socio-economic factors in adoption of low energy houses
- 2009
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In: International Scientific Conference on Energy systems with IT, March 11-12, in connection with 'Energitiget 2009', Stockholm, Sweden.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Diffusion of low energy houses reduces greenhouse emission from residential sector. However, adoption of such houses depends on the perception of the potential buyers. In this paper we have analyzed Swedish homeowners’ perception of low energy houses. Data was collected in 2008 from a mail-in questionnaire survey of about 3000 owners of detached houses. Results showed that about 39% of respondents, especially young, educated or whose household income was high, would consider buying a low energy house. Majority of the respondents agreed that a low energy house in comparison to a conventional house has lower operating energy cost, but higher investment cost. Majority thought that low energy houses do not have lower resale value, lower aesthetic appearance, or greater operational difficulty.
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| 21. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Policy instruments to promote energy efficiency in the building sector: Indian and Swedish experiences
- 2008
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In: 14th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, 21-23 September, New Delhi, India.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Energy efficiency measures in buildings are widely regarded as cost effective options to mitigate climate change. However, policy instruments are needed to improve the diffusion of such measures. The policy mix may be country-specific. Here, we compare and contrast the various policy instruments designed to enhance energy efficiency in the building sector in India and Sweden. The objective is to explore if the experiences of Sweden that have promoted energy efficiency in buildings for decades could be useful for India, where energy demand is forecasted to strongly increase. India and Sweden are very different, for example, in terms of development, size, priorities, population, and climatic conditions. In Sweden, policy initiatives to reduce energy use in buildings date back to the 1970s and the government is committed to significantly reduce energy use in buildings. In India, the interest in energy efficiency improvements in buildings is a recent phenomenon. The country introduced an energy conservation building code in 2007. This analysis shows that policy instruments are more prevalent in Sweden than in India where regulatory instruments are particularly lacking. Hence, Swedish buildings are more energy efficient than those in India. The Swedish experience could be useful for devising programs and implementing policy instruments to improve energy efficiency of Indian buildings.
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| 22. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
-
Small-scale pellet heating systems from consumer perspective
- 2006
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In: Proceedings. 2nd World Conference on Pellets, 30 May-1 June 2006, Jönköping, Sweden.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A questionnaire survey of 1500 detached house owners was carried out in the autumn of 2004 to find out the factors influencing the adoption and diffusion of pellet heating systems in the Swedish residential sector. The results revealed that most of the respondents had no plans to install new heating systems as they were satisfied with their existing ones. Economic aspects and functional reliability were the most important factors in the respondents� choice of heating system while environmental factors were of less importance. Therefore, internalizing external costs, such as environmental costs, might be effective in influencing house owners to adopt environmentally benign heating systems. Installers were the most important source of information on heating systems. Hence, it is important that they could inform the consumers comprehensively and accurately about different heating systems. Respondents perceived the relative advantage of pellet boilers over oil or electricity-based heating systems, but bedrock heat pump system was ranked higher than pellet heating system in every aspect except for investment cost. Pellet heating system has advantage over district heating system with respect to investment cost and annual cost of heating. District heating system was considered as most functionally reliable and automatic.
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| 23. |
- Mahapatra, Krushna, 1974-, et al.
(author)
-
Swedish homeowners’ perceptions of innovative heating systems – results of three surveys
- 2009
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In: ECEEE 2009 Summer Study, 1-6 June 2009, La Colle sur Loup, Côte d'Azur, France. - : European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ECEEE).
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Replacing oil and electric heating systems with innovative heating systems (IHSs) such as bedrock heat pumps, district heating system, and pellet boilers will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emission from Swedish detached houses. However, realizing this potential depends on homeowners’ adoption decision, which is influenced by their need, awareness and perception of the advantages associated with the IHSs. In this context, we conducted mail-in questionnaire surveys of 1,500 Swedish homeowners, selected through stratified random sampling method, in Fall 2004, Spring 2007, and Summer 2008. A response rate of 42%, 48% and 37% was obtained in the 2004, 2007 and 2008 surveys, respectively. One of the aims of the series of surveys was to find out if external factors such as provision of investment subsidies and mass media discussion of climate change issues had influenced homeowners awareness and perception of the advantages associated with the IHSs. Results showed that there was no appreciable change in homeowners’ perceptions between the years surveyed. They consistently gave higher priority to economic factors over environmental factors in their decision to install a new heating system. Heat pumps were best perceived with respect to the annual energy cost of heating, environmental benignity, increased market value of the house, and low greenhouse gas emissions. Respondents felt that pellet boilers had the lowest investment cost, while district heating system had the perceived advantage of functional reliability.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
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| 26. |
- Vanhoutteghem, Lies, et al.
(author)
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Sustainable renovation concepts for single-family houses, Deliverable D1.3 of the project Successful Sustainable Renovation Business for Single-Family Houses - SuccessFamilies.
- 2009
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Due to the introduction of low energy standards for new houses as minimum requirements, rising energy prices and generally more focus on energy performance, there is a need for farreaching energy efficiency improvements in connection with renovation if existing singlefamily houses in the Nordic countries are to have competitive power compared to new houses on the future housing market. If the market is able to explain this to the homeowners there is an open market with undreamt-of possibilities. Good technical solutions exist but need to be combined based on the full range of (standard) solutions in order to reach the low primary energy level of new houses. The typical single-family houses identified to have large primary energy saving potential almost descend from the same time period in each Nordic country. The first segment is houses built in large numbers in the 1960 and 1970 before tightening of the insulation standards in the building codes in the late 1970’s due to the oil crisis. The second segment is houses built before 1945 (except for Finland) where a large part of them has been renovated, but energy renovation of those houses today would still account for a large energy saving. The third segment is type houses from the post-war period in Finland. A complete energy efficient renovation of a typical house include post-insulation and sealing of the buildings envelope - roof/ceiling, façade, windows/doors and foundation and maybe slab on ground - installation of a mechanical ventilation system with high efficiency heat recovery and low electricity use and if not already there, an energy efficient heating system based on district heating, heat pump etc. This package of technical solutions can be carried out during an overall or step wise planned renovation dependent on the condition of the house, the financial possibilities of the homeowner etc. Calculation of packages of energy efficient renovation solutions targeted the three segments of houses show that primary energy use and heating bill can be reduced with up to about 75% or a factor 4 corresponding to the level of a new house or better. It seems that the passive house level can not quite be reached with standard solutions. They require that more ambitious measures are applied. The total investment needed to reduce the heating bill by a factor 4 including replacement of e.g. roof and windows is up to EUR 100,000. It is generally difficult to obtain an economy in balance in the sense that the annual payment on a cheap loan, e.g. mortgage refinancing, to finance the investment is not fully offset by the expected annual energy savings. Since, the cost of energy measures today may not correspond to the increased market value of the house, it is important to find mechanisms so that the total cost of the energy investments in the future is reflected as an increased value of the house. But with due regard to all the non-energy benefits, such as better and healthier indoor environment and comfort, and less dependence on expected future higher energy prices, energy efficient renovation will probably still be attractive for the average homeowner. One-stop-shops in the form of full-service providers of energy efficient renovation of singlefamily house are missing in the Nordic countries. This service is vital to open up the market. A one-stop-shop could be seen as a possibility to make it easy for the homeowner to comply with possible future requirements to realize far-reaching energy savings in connection with extensive renovations, provided that the building sector offers the solutions. Homeowners need someone to take care of all relevant steps necessary for the renovation of the house including quotation for the work, financing and management of the contract work. An ideal full-service concept in five phases is proposed, going from initial evaluation of the house, to extensive analyses, proposal for package solutions, coordinated execution and operation and finally management of the house after renovation.
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