Working Hard or Hardly Working? How the Swedish Building Trade Magazines Mediate Issues Regarding Energy Efficiency

Abstract: The building sector accounts for 40 % of the energy usage, and to be able to reach the energy reduction goals set within the EU and Sweden, the building sector needs to change toward energy efficiency. The building sector has a lot of energy saving potential, and within the sector, the HVAC- and plumbing section has the greatest saving potential. Since building trade magazines are directed to practitioners within the building sector, and also their main channel for information regarding projects and developments, this study has used qualitative content analysis on articles, regarding energy efficiency, between the years of 2002-2014. Two building magazines and one HVAC- and plumbing magazine were used to cover the field of what issues regarding energy efficiency were mediated to the readers. The study found out that during the first years, the magazines mediated a positive image towards energy efficiency measures, but mentioned little concrete action plans. After the implementation of more stringent laws, the magazines mediated different issues in a more equal spreading, however two different issues battled to be heard. These were concerns regarding the risks of using new methods not tried before, the lack of clear definitions from the authorities and a focus on a holistic perspective that included environmental thinking. The most recent years focused on practical solutions, adopting a holistic perspective that included both buildings and individual behaviors. During the years, the magazines in general framed energy efficiency measures as something positive and mediated the image of that energy efficiency measures would be taken in the future.