Simulating the influence of socio-spatial structures on energy-efficient renovations

Abstract

To meet climate protection targets it is suggested to increase the number of energy-efficient renovations. Homeowners are the main decision makers regarding renovations in their houses. It is hypothesized that socio-spatial structures affect the decision to renovate. Since it is crucial to consider all important aspects influencing the decision making of homeowners when designing policies to trigger higher energyefficient renovation activity, we developed an agent-based model to examine the influence of socio-spatial structures on these decisions. The simulation results suggest that socio-spatial structures have a considerable effect on the type of renovation measures carried out. The distribution of socio-technical attributes, population density, social network properties, and residential segregation, affects the homeowners' decision to renovate. Additional research is needed to validate the model and make it applicable to evaluate policy instruments designed to promote the diffusion of energy-efficient renovations