The social construction of ‘green building’ in the Swedish context

Abstract

To understand how ‘environmental consideration’ and related concepts are defined and translated into physical artifacts in contemporary green building projects, we need to be aware of the existing streams of ideas that have contributed to the present understanding of green building. Depending on ideological stance and power distribution, ‘green building’ may have different meanings and values ranging from a techno-centric positioning to an eco-sensitive one, yet the same language is often used. This article reviews the development of green ideas in the Swedish building sector, taking its point of departure in the 1960s. The focus of the article is the ways in which translations of ‘green building’ have been used historically to mobilize different groups of actors. The aim of this journey is to provide insight into the environmental discourse in the Swedish building sector today and to generate a discussion on the role of discourse in environmental policy making. Furthermore, a better understanding of the environmental problem from a historical perspective may lead to more comprehensive solutions to current and future environmental problems.