Murtagh, N, Owen, A orcid.org/0000-0002-1240-9319 and Simpson, K (2023) Engaging UK repair-maintain-improve practitioners in improved building performance. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 41 (1). pp. 11-24. ISSN 2398-4708
Abstract
Purpose
To improve building performance and meet statutory carbon reduction targets, a radical transformation of existing UK building stock is needed. Much previous research on building performance has focussed on large-scale construction. However, retrofit of existing housing stock – which will contribute the majority of the requisite efficiency improvement – is carried out by practitioners in the repair–maintain–improve (RMI) subsector. These practitioners are the sole traders and micro-firms who constitute two-fifths of employment in the construction sector. The study aims to examine the factors influencing these practitioners in RMI work to understand how better to engage them with improved building performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 31 semi-structured interviews were conducted with RMI professionals from around the UK and analysed using template analysis.
Findings
The analysis identified capabilities of the practitioners who influence building performance, including knowledge and co-ordination of people and resources; opportunities including state action and customer demand; and motivations including pride in work, customer care and satisfaction, maintaining a viable business and working relationships.
Research limitations/implications
The participants were a small, mixed group in terms of firm size and specialisation. The qualitative approach adopted provided detailed insights but does not make claims for statistical generalisability or representativeness of the findings. Future work could look to extend the findings with a statistically representative survey.
Practical implications
For a successful transition to high standards of building performance, modelling is not enough. Initiatives are needed to address the multiple factors which determine engagement in energy-efficient retrofit: capacities, opportunities and motivations. The desire of RMI practitioners to meet customer expectations could be used to develop pragmatic building performance evaluation, guided by householder satisfaction criteria.
Originality/value
The study examined the attitudes and experiences of an under-researched sector who are essential to the delivery of improved building performance. This study makes a novel contribution by applying an established psychological model of behaviour change, the capability, opportunity, motivation – behaviour model, for the first time in this domain.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2021 Emerald Publishing Limited. This is an author produced version of an article published in International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Motivation; Repair-maintain-improve (RMI); Retrofit; Sustainable behaviour; Zero-carbon |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Sainsburys Family Charitable Trusts No External Ref EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) EP/L024756/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 29 Sep 2021 10:57 |
Last Modified: | 22 Mar 2024 12:05 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Emerald |
Identification Number: | 10.1108/IJBPA-03-2021-0042 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:178292 |