There are environmental benefits of improving primary energy efficiency of Swedish residential buildings. In the production of new apartment buildings the primary energy use could also be reduced by replacing concrete frames with timber. However, the successful implementation of such changes will depend, in addition to economical and technical factors, on the action of various actors which is guided by the institutional set up. For single-family houses, the homeowners are central actors in the diffusion process. They choose what measures to implement in existing houses. In apartment buildings the tenants have little control over decisions taken. The owner, contractor, consultant, architect, engineers, material suppliers etc. have the key roles. In the operation phase, a professional administrator usually makes the operation and investment decisions. Hence, the administrative organisation needs extra attention. External actors such as utilities, installers, retailers and energy advisors all have the possibility to motivate the owners/administrators of existing residential buildings to implement energy efficiency measures.

The diffusion of energy efficiency measures in residential buildings depend on how a need for such measures is created, what factors influence the choice between different measures, through what channels people and organisations receive the information that underlie their decision, and in what way the measures finally is implemented. In this project we study the attitudes and perceptions of the residential property owners to adopt various energy efficiency measures. We map out the external actors’ views on energy efficiency and how they influence the owners. A part of the project is also to analyze various factors guiding selection of frame materials used in the construction of new multifamily houses. Particularly, we will investigate the attitudes of the relevant actors such as the owners, construction industry professionals, policy makers, and the general public towards wood as a construction material.