ABSTRACT
Examining the construction of the energy ‘problem’ and then unearthing associated theories of social change that underpin research and practice in this field, this chapter aims to develop a distinctive strain of environmental sociology. Technologists and energy policy analysts have quite clear views about social science and the types of questions on which such expertise might be brought to bear. Building research and building science operate across different levels of abstraction and generate a range of variously bounded insights and conclusions. More than that, the processes of translation and interpretation required to produce more energy-efficient buildings are themselves socially situated. The first concerns the nature of building knowledge and the relationship between apparently transferable insights from building science and the seemingly unique characteristics of building production. The second thread concerns the relationship between technical and social situations. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
