Steel, glass and interactions : the social construction of a green building

Abstract: Purpose: This thesis is a case study of Kungsbrohuset, a recently completed building in central Stockholm, which has been lauded for its environmental credentials. It is the first building in Sweden to be certified by three separate environmental certification schemes. The building is now rented (in the main) to Schibsted, one of Scandinavia’s largest media concerns. The building developer and operator, Jernhusen, has engaged the services of an environmental advisor to assist their tenants in undertaking environmental actions, whilst at the same time the design process demonstrates differences to the norm. The case study is an intrinsic case study with the aim of gaining a better understanding of these particular phenomena.Methodologies: In addition to theoretical understanding,semi structured interviews have beencarried out with a range of relevant parties. This data has then been coded, merged and then thematically analysed.Findings: The case study shows that there is a process of symbolic interaction ongoing in the building, coupled with ecological modernization apparent in several of the organisations linked to the building. We can see from the respondents interpretations of a green building, that elements of Habermas’ theory of communicative action are relevant to the role played by the classification systems in the respondents’ comprehension of a green building. In addition there is evidence of communities of interest and a nascent community of practice in relation to the learning processes apparent in the social interactions connected to Kungsbrohuset.