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Review of evaluations of policy instruments for energy efficiency in buildings in Sweden

Sandin, Sofie LU ; Neij, Lena LU and Mickwitz, Per LU (2017)
Abstract
The built environment accounts for approximately 32 % of the global final energy use but also holds great potential for energy efficiency still to be harnessed (Lucon et al., 2014). To develop innovative policies for energy efficiency that are capable of realizing transformative changes, we argue that there is an urgent need for new systemic evaluation frameworks that provide learning and knowledge on how policy initiatives provide energy efficiency in the built environment. Moreover, there is a need to understand to what extent evaluation practices today apply evaluation frameworks with a systemic and transformative approach.


This paper presents a critical assessment of 30 evaluations commissioned by Swedish authorities... (More)
The built environment accounts for approximately 32 % of the global final energy use but also holds great potential for energy efficiency still to be harnessed (Lucon et al., 2014). To develop innovative policies for energy efficiency that are capable of realizing transformative changes, we argue that there is an urgent need for new systemic evaluation frameworks that provide learning and knowledge on how policy initiatives provide energy efficiency in the built environment. Moreover, there is a need to understand to what extent evaluation practices today apply evaluation frameworks with a systemic and transformative approach.


This paper presents a critical assessment of 30 evaluations commissioned by Swedish authorities 2005-2015 on policy instruments for energy efficiency in buildings. The assessment is based on a systemic theoretical framework developed and based on general insights from evaluation theory and transition theory. The main categories of assessment are: the data and methods applied in the evaluation, the value judgment in evaluation and the use of evaluations. The results show some important aspects of a systemic approach but also reveal room for improvements. The reviewed evaluations used multiple methods and multi-criteria analysis, providing a thorough base for evaluation. However, the design, methods and data used could be much stronger if taking a broader system approach and including aspects of side effects, attribution, rebound-effects and triangulation. The design could also more explicitly asses aspects of transitions related to visioning, experimentation and learning. The value judgment in the evaluations used one to three criteria, of which impact and effectiveness were the ones most frequently used, leaving room for further reflections and analysis. Moreover, use of the evaluations was not explicitly mentioned.
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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Energy Efficiency, Buildings, Evaluation, Policy Instruments
host publication
eceee 2017 Summer Study on energy efficiency : Consumption, efficiency and limits - Consumption, efficiency and limits
article number
8-221-17
ISBN
978-91-983878-1-0
978-91-983878-0-3
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0f2c5e0b-b288-43a2-b2f5-13ba2145a6b5
alternative location
https://www.eceee.org/library/conference_proceedings/eceee_Summer_Studies/2017/8-monitoring-and-evaluation-building-confidence-and-enhancing-practices/review-of-evaluations-of-policy-instruments-for-energy-efficiency-in-buildings-in-sweden/
date added to LUP
2019-10-14 16:44:53
date last changed
2019-10-15 12:39:15
@inproceedings{0f2c5e0b-b288-43a2-b2f5-13ba2145a6b5,
  abstract     = {{The built environment accounts for approximately 32 % of the global final energy use but also holds great potential for energy efficiency still to be harnessed (Lucon et al., 2014). To develop innovative policies for energy efficiency that are capable of realizing transformative changes, we argue that there is an urgent need for new systemic evaluation frameworks that provide learning and knowledge on how policy initiatives provide energy efficiency in the built environment. Moreover, there is a need to understand to what extent evaluation practices today apply evaluation frameworks with a systemic and transformative approach.<br/><br/><br/>This paper presents a critical assessment of 30 evaluations commissioned by Swedish authorities 2005-2015 on policy instruments for energy efficiency in buildings. The assessment is based on a systemic theoretical framework developed and based on general insights from evaluation theory and transition theory. The main categories of assessment are: the data and methods applied in the evaluation, the value judgment in evaluation and the use of evaluations. The results show some important aspects of a systemic approach but also reveal room for improvements. The reviewed evaluations used multiple methods and multi-criteria analysis, providing a thorough base for evaluation. However, the design, methods and data used could be much stronger if taking a broader system approach and including aspects of side effects, attribution, rebound-effects and triangulation. The design could also more explicitly asses aspects of transitions related to visioning, experimentation and learning. The value judgment in the evaluations used one to three criteria, of which impact and effectiveness were the ones most frequently used, leaving room for further reflections and analysis. Moreover, use of the evaluations was not explicitly mentioned. <br/>}},
  author       = {{Sandin, Sofie and Neij, Lena and Mickwitz, Per}},
  booktitle    = {{eceee 2017 Summer Study on energy efficiency : Consumption, efficiency and limits}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-983878-1-0}},
  keywords     = {{Energy Efficiency; Buildings; Evaluation; Policy Instruments}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Review of evaluations of policy instruments for energy efficiency in buildings in Sweden}},
  url          = {{https://www.eceee.org/library/conference_proceedings/eceee_Summer_Studies/2017/8-monitoring-and-evaluation-building-confidence-and-enhancing-practices/review-of-evaluations-of-policy-instruments-for-energy-efficiency-in-buildings-in-sweden/}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}