欧州における低エネルギー建築技術の発達

抄録

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster has revealed the huge potential risk inherent in nuclear power generation. It adds very much to the existing energy problems such as depletion of fuels and global warming. To achieve substantial reduction in both fossil and nuclear energy, not only the enhancement of renewable energy on the supply-side but also the suppression of energy consumption on the demand-side would be required. Low-energy building technology is considered an effective means of energy consumption reduction. EU is the front-runner of this field, in terms of the level of technology, the adequacy of regulation, and the degree of diffusion. This implies that the development of low-energy building technology in Europe is worth historical study. With regard to historiography, we emphasize the complex nature of technological developments. It is not a linear, steady process. It turns and twists. A technological path is a result of aggregation of interactions - either conflicts or collaborations - among a variety of heterogeneous actors. Such complexity and heterogeneity often enrich the quality of technological development, according to the debates on the "resistance to new technologies " and the "unlocking of technological trajectories ". We also indicate some historical lessons such as the role of new entrants, the necessity of nurturing space for innovation, and the importance of sharing the basic concept of the technology among related actors.