Energy Transitions: Reconciling Conflicting Demands with a Paradox Perspective
A. Greco (TU Delft - Real Estate Management)
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Abstract
When a building becomes vacant, real estate developers, investors, and owners are faced with competing demands. The need for quick financial returns might conflict with the investment required to preserve historical values, a challenge that is exacerbated when energy efficiency measures need to be integrated. With the urgency to accelerate the energy transition of existing buildings, these demands increase in magnitude and complexity, and prioritising one demand over another can have long-term negative consequences for the Dutch real estate market.
This chapter introduces a paradox perspective on the challenges and conflicting interests hindering the energy transition. A paradox approach acknowledges that these tensions are interconnected and persistent. Compromising can be counterproductive, as ignoring conflicting demands can lead to negative unintended consequences.
The chapter begins by providing an overview of some of the main challenges relevant to achieving energy efficiency in the adaptive reuse of existing buildings. It then introduces the basis of paradox theory and its related approaches. A paradox perspective is relevant for researchers and managers dealing with competing demands, as well as for designers who can leverage paradoxes to identify creative solutions.
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