Energy efficiency as interplay between technical installations and social actors

Barriers to the efficient operation of complex heating systems

Abstract

In order to achieve climate protection targets, energy-efficient operation of heating systems is of central importance to achieving climate protection targets. So far, innovation of the energy system has primarily been attributed to technological innovation. Therefore, modern energy systems have been installed in many buildings over the last two decades. However, in practice, predicted savings are usually not achieved. The empirical results of the ENGITO project show that this is often due to social barriers, which have hardly been considered so far. The article addresses typical barriers to efficient operation of heating systems and shows that work organization and distribution of responsibility play an important role in shaping future energy systems. In this article, energy efficiency is viewed from a socio-technical perspective and understood as interplay between technological installations and social actors.