Building Professionals Facing the Energy Efficiency Challenge

335 Pages·2018·21.237 MB·English

by  Lefranc, Margot, Molina, Géraldine, Musy, Marjorie

Building Professionals Facing
the Energy Efficiency Challenge
Series Editor
Alain Dollet
Building Professionals
Facing the Energy
Efficiency Challenge

Géraldine Molina
Marjorie Musy
Margot Lefranc
First published 2018 in Great Britain and the United States by ISTE Ltd and John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as
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ISTE Ltd John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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© ISTE Ltd 2018
The rights of Géraldine Molina, Marjorie Musy and Margot Lefranc to be identified as the authors of this
work have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017952075

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-78630-149-9
Contents
Contributions and Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Chapter 1. A Look at “Performance” Buildings:
An Interdisciplinary Survey of Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1. Stakeholders for understanding the challenges of energy,
the climate and the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1.1. The virtues of active building professionals entering
into participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1.2. Context and interrelationships around energy-related
challenges: the positioning of building professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.1.3. Common themes and the questions of the survey . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.2. The survey of building professionals in France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.2.1. A nation-wide exploratory survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.2.2. Complementary investigation methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.2.3. The analysis: “a radical interdisciplinarity” to question
professionnal dynamics in construction and energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
1.2.4. Cross-connections with research on professionals from
the territories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Chapter 2. Uneasiness Among Professionals: Multiple
Obstacles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
2.1. A host of constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2.1.1. Heterogeneity and the lack of training and skills . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2.1.2. Multiplication of constraints, economic crises and
marketing hype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
vi Building Professionals Facing the Energy Efficiency Challenge
2.2. Prometheus syndrome: The belief in new techniques as a
silver bullet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
2.2.1. The belief in and overreliance on techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
2.2.2. Historical amnesia: The lack of a diachronic perspective
and knowledge about the history of technology, construction
and architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
2.2.3. The inhabitant as disembodied end user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
2.3. The “Exquisite Corpse” syndrome: segmentation and the
challenges and actors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.3.1. The segmentation of the energy issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.3.2. The lack of communication and the “blame game”
played between actors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.4. From experimentation to standardization... and its adverse effects . . . 44
2.4.1. Issues and setbacks in the transition to standardization . . . . . . . . 45
2.4.2. The adverse effects of standardization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
2.4.3. A sort of modernism making a comeback ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
2.5. Multi-criteria testing: The “trajectory” of problems
and solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
2.5.1. The replication of counterproductive decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
2.5.2. “Ostrich syndrome” and “path dependence” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
2.5.3. The concept of trajectory: “divergence” phenomena
and its effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
2.6. From a crisis of obstacles, to the devices and the resources
needed for a transition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Chapter 3. The Characteristics of the Pioneers: Trajectories,
Construction, and the Advancement of Their Skills . . . . . . . . . . . 61
3.1. Adherence to ecological values and the broad array of
systems for engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
3.1.1. Environmental sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
3.1.2. Wearing many hats: the commitment to a multilateral approach . . 63
3.1.3. Personal experimentation as a driving force for innovation . . . . . 65
3.1.4. Atypical profiles and career paths, and significant
professional mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
3.1.5. The role of reading, the Internet and documentaries . . . . . . . . . 71
3.2. Construction, distribution and adaptation of knowledge,
expertise and skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
3.2.1. Different countries, regions, and inspiring projects . . . . . . . . . . 76
3.2.2. Geographic mobility: movement and transformation
of models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
3.2.3. The role of associations and networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
3.2.4. The role of women and the issue of feminization . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Contents vii
Appendix. Selection of First-Hand Accounts
from Building Area Participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
1. Alain Bornarel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
2. Alexandre da Silva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
3. Frank Dimitropoulos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
4. Michaël Fournier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
5. Jean-Marc Gary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
6. Françoise-Hélène Jourda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
7. Milena Karanesheva and Mischa Witzmann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
8. Yves Lion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
9. Bertrand Montarou . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
10. Marine Morain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
11. Vincent Pierré . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
12. Laurent Vacher-Bruel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
13. Jean-Luc Vallade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
14. Delphine Saint-Quentin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
15. Marika Frenette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Contributions and Acknowledgements
The writing of this work was done as part of a collaboration at the Institut de
Recherche en Sciences et Techniques de la Ville, FR CNRS 2488. It comes after an
exploratory survey carried out in the Tipee project, financed as part of a call for
expression of interest by ADEME1. To instill the work with an element of greater
consequence, the authors sought to continue the survey of groundbreaking
professionals and the analysis of the results obtained. The interviews were
conducted by Geraldine Molina and transcribed by Margot Lefranc, the results of
which were cross-examined with those obtained from observations of the
participation and the visits made to active operations. In order to provide more
interdisciplinary insight on these survey results and to conduct an analysis of the
social and physical phenomena observed using a multi criteria approach, the analysis
was thus performed by the three authors of this work: Géraldine Molina, Margot
Lefranc and Marjorie Musy. This complementary work, spanning a period of 2
years, was possible thanks to the financial support of the Ecole Centrale Nantes, the
Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Nantes and l’Institut de Recherche en
Sciences et Techniques de la Ville (Fr CNRS 2488).

1 Tipee is a technology platform dedicated to building restoration and has been awarded the
Appel à Manifestations d’Intérêt (AMI) (call for expressions of interest) from the ADEME,
“Energy Positive Neighborhoods and Buildings and islands with a minimum carbon balance”
as part of the “Investments for the Future” initiative launched by the French government at the
end of 2009. Tipee is also funded by the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) and
is part of the national Grenelle Building-Energy Platforms, from the Sustainable Building
Plan. http://www.plateforme-tipee.com/plateforme-batiment-durable-tipee/Université de La
Rochelle, LaSIE Laboratory, Agglomeration Community of La Rochelle, Cluster Eco Habitat,
Novabuild, Alliance 2i, IRSTV, group Ridoret, CTICM, Eiffage Construction, Soprema,
Ateliers Megumi & Associates, Saint Gobain, Cel, RCP, AIA Studio Environnement, Case
Home.
x Building Professionals Facing the Energy Efficiency Challenge
Therefore, the authors wish to thank in particular:
– the professionals who have instilled their confidence in us by providing us their
testimonies and experiences during the interviews and visits. They have also taken
part in the proofreading and the work of bringing this project up to date for
publication. Additionally we wish to thank the professionals with whom we had
exchanges during conferences or training in various contexts on research results, and
who thus helped to enrich our analyses and to further confirm our results;
– the funders and partners of the Tipee project during which seeds of the project
were sown, including Florian Battezzati, Adrien Dhalluin, Maxime Doya and
Isabelle Calmet: they made an interdisciplinary introduction to the social sciences
possible, and have given them a kind welcome;
– Ecole Centrale Nantes, the Research laboratory Audencia-Centrale Nantes
Rn'B Lab, the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Nantes and the Institut
de Recherche en Sciences et Techniques de la Ville (Fr CNRS 2488) which, after
the Tipee project, supported the research. Naturally, our thoughts go out to Arnaud
Poitou, Director of the École Centrale de Nantes, Jean-Yves Hascoët, Director of
Research of the ECN, André Sobczak, Academic Director of Audencia and Miruna
Radu Lefebvre, Director of the laboratoire R'nB Lab, for their warm welcome, their
interest, and the support they have given us in this research;
– Christine Lamberts (ESO Nantes, CNRS 6590) for her precious help in the
production of maps;
– the social science researchers to whom we presented our results, and with
whom we carried out exchanges during seminars, international conferences and
symposia, notably as part of the network Sociologie de l’Energie, or the more
informal discussions we have had, including with Marie-Christine Zelem,
Christophe Bernardo, Christèle Assegond, and Jean-Philippe Fouquet;
–the publishing house ISTE and the many people who collaborate with us, who
have actively follow-up in the follow-up, the proofreading and formatting of this
manuscript, in order to make its publication possible.
Introduction
Building Professionals Confronting Energy
and Environmental Quality Challenges:
Outlooks on a Changing Field of Skills
and Practices in France
The reduction of energy consumption and the improvement of energy
performance are now critical goals for builders actively involved in the production
and management of buildings, whether in the renovation of existing building stock
or the construction of new buildings. A significant arsenal of standards, labels and
certifications (the HQE, Haute Qualité Environnementale, and the RT 20121,
Réglementation Thermique 2012, generalizing the BBC, the Passiv'Haus, Minergie,
Bepos...) has been put in place to try to ensure greater energy efficiency in buildings,
creating new constraints and fields of possibility for the building industry
stakeholders.
Since the beginning of the 2010s, the evaluation of a number of pioneering
operations and the widespread usage of so-called “high performance” solutions has
been launched. As a result of this, many discrepancies have now been found
between the theoretical, calculated, and expected energy performance for an
operation and the actual nature of the results that can be observed in the field. The
work presented here comes in addition to approaches taken via the evaluation of
technical devices and systems, or works on the divergences between the expected
and actual forms of building occupancy. It addresses this assessment by allowing the
professionals who manufacture and manage these buildings to share their points of
view.

1 Haute Performance Energétique (HPE), which can be translated as High Energetic Performance and
Réglementation Thermique (RT) which means the thermal regulation.