ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors focus mainly on the use of energy in housing and leave aside the construction aspects. Many issues are common to homes and commercial buildings but the decision systems and actors are somewhat different. In commercial buildings 'evolution' is influenced mainly by financial and technological decision-making by finance directors, architects and facility managers whereas domestic energy consumption patterns are a matter of lifestyle and individual end-user decisions. Energy consumption depends not only on the energy efficiency of buildings and equipment but also on user behaviour. Stakeholders and end-users are becoming aware of climate change and therefore more prone to accept sustainability policies. In several countries new initiatives are starting that focus on low-carbon homes. The increasing availability of more sustainable energy generation and options for consumption, such as 'green' electricity tariffs, are enabling people to change behaviour towards more sustainable energy use in houses and building.
