Energy transition in the retail sector

Abstract

Shopping centres hold significant energy retrofit potential in the retail sector. However, their complex multi-stakeholder governance structure complicates decision-making for Energy Efficiency Retrofits (EER). Although literature identifies some barriers linked to EER, they are often scattered and not identified within a process perspective that considers their contextual complexities. This study addressed this gap by examining stakeholders’ behaviours, barriers, and relations during EER decision-making processes, to detect stakeholders’ needs to catalyse the energy transition. Qualitative research was conducted on three representative Dutch shopping centres case studies. The cross-case analysis uncovered the decision-making process for EER and new barriers attributed to this building typology. Amongst other, detected barriers can be attributed to limitations with governmental and internal regulations, lifecycle conflicts, proposed interventions being out of scope, and existing technical challenges. The study also revealed causal relationships among stakeholders, showcasing varying interpretations of barriers and highlighting the roles of owners, property managers, and public authorities in overcoming them. Furthermore, the findings indicate the key role that different contextual variables play in the EER decision-making process, such as ownership type, governance structure, and leasing structure. This study offers insights and recommendations for shopping centre owners, property managers, and policymakers, to support them in navigating the energy transition of the retail building stock. Key recommendations include decentralizing decision-making, optimizing governance structure, streamlining sustainability advisors, and acknowledging the collaborative roles of property managers and policymakers in providing effective and holistic solutions.