Aune, M (2012) Making energy visible in domestic property markets: The influence of advertisements. Building Research & Information, 40(6), pp. 713-723. ISSN 0961-3218
Abstract
Increased political attention towards the built environment and its relationship to climate change has resulted in stricter building codes and mandatory energy labelling of dwellings. How is this issue reflected in the marketing process? Based on a study of online housing advertisements in Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, respectively, an analysis examines which qualities dwelling advertisements emphasize, and how energy issues are addressed. Informed by theories of markets and the performativity of economics, insights are generated on how advertisements frame dwellings as objects of transaction and to what extent energy is made a subject of concern. The analysis demonstrates that the housing advertisements represent 'qualculation devices' specifically inviting consumers to engage in qualitybased considerations about the dwelling. Dominant 'modes of qualculation' are: 'aesthetics', 'comfort' and 'convenience'. Energy is only visible as comfort and convenience, while issues concerning energy conservation or low energy performance are omitted as qualculation possibilities. By analysing advertisements through the concepts of 'framing' and 'qualculation', this paper provides insights into the performativity of advertisements and the challenges of making energy saving or low energy performance visible in the marketing process.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | consumer information; energy consumption; housing; housing advertisements; market information; performativity; property markets; qualculation devices |
| Index terms: | aesthetic, building code, United Kingdom, energy conservation, Norway, framing, Sweden, built environment, low energy, performativity, energy-saving, property market, markets, marketing, climate change, comfort, energy consumption, housing |
| Subjects: | economic analysis, climate science, energy systems, factor and component analysis, regulatory law, real estate economics, social theory and frameworks, infrastructure and transport systems, occupational health and safety management, conceptual models, construction type, business, Geography |
| Topics: | Sustainability, Research Practice, Design Practice, Legal Issues, Business Strategy, Urban Studies, Geographical Context, Construction Technology, Health and Safety |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 PC |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here