Housing and household practices: Practice-based sustainability interventions for low-energy houses in Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

This paper focuses on low-energy interventions in the design and use of houses from a socio-technical perspective. It explores the links between housing (design) and household (use) practices for sustainability transitions in middle-class housing in Lahore, Pakistan. Using two case-study houses as examples of variation in design, in addition to semi-structured interviews with housing practitioners, the paper investigates the transitions needed in housing practices that, through interventions in house design, can lead to less energy-intensive household practice-arrangements. It uses a practice-based intervention framework to explore how housing and household practices can be recrafted, substituted and changes made to how they interlock for improved sustainability. “Good” housing practices such as integration of more flexible, performance-based byelaws to meet minimum standards, better knowledge and skills of practitioners, good communication between stakeholders and the availability of low-carbon material supply chains can lead to “good” household practices, such as changed meanings of comfort, more outdoor-based activities and collective practice-arrangements. The paper thus highlights inadequacies of existing economically-driven, techno-determinist efficiency models to meet required levels of housing energy demand. The practice approach makes the connections between “good” and “bad” housing and household practices visible and demonstrates their significance in identifying key areas of sustainability interventions.