A sociotechnical approach to users’ heritage values and decision-making processes for energy efficiency and thermal comfort in heritage buildings: A pilot study in Mexico City

A pilot study reveals that residents of historic buildings in Mexico City's World Heritage-listed center prioritize heritage values over invasive energy efficiency interventions, even when facing thermal discomfort. They opt for passive solutions like wearing more clothing or closing windows rather than risking costly retrofitting that could degrade the building's cultural and social significance. The research combines semi-structured interviews with environmental monitoring and system dynamics analysis to demonstrate how users' heritage values influence long-term decision-making regarding energy efficiency, highlighting a tension between conservation constraints and comfort needs.

Murillo, K. S., Fouseki, K., & Altamirano, H. (2021). A sociotechnical approach to users’ heritage values and decision-making processes for energy efficiency and thermal comfort in heritage buildings: A pilot study in Mexico City. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 863(1), 12031. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/863/1/012031