Transition from Low-rise to High-rise Zero Carbon Buildings: The Potential of Socio-Technical Systems

Abstract

Most zero carbon buildings (ZCBs) to date are low-rise, with high-rise often considered impossible to achieve zero carbon because of enormous difficulties in socio-technical perspectives. This paper aims to explore the future of high-rise toward zero carbon drawing on the theory of socio-technical systems. Grounded on this theory, ZCBs are examined as social-technical systems, and the technologies and key stakeholders are embedded in the social, cultural, and political environments. The research was carried out through a case study of the first ZCB of three stories in Hong Kong and a workshop with the key stakeholders of buildings. It was found that the delivery solution of the case ZCB was considered to be technically infeasible for new buildings in Hong Kong of typical 40 stories because of geographic constraints. The use of emerging technologies must be explored for enhanced technical feasibility. The split among contributions of end users, the building industry, and the energy sector to carbon emission reductions was considered crucial to developing a practical ZCB definition for Hong Kong. Approaches based on socio-technical systems should help influence end users' attitudes toward reducing energy consumption and enable integrated project delivery of high-rise buildings toward zero carbon.