Measuring sustainable homes - a Mixed Methods approach

Abstract

The paper studies the Active House vision and the Active House Specification work-in-progress to identify what parameters to measure when measuring sustainable homes of the future. The approach is based on a Mixed Methods research strategy where measurements are related to both quantitative and qualitative aspects in relation to the categories Energy, Indoor climate and Environment. The what to measure part of the paper results in a matrix that lists the measurement parameters. On basis of the measurement parameters a set of methods are compiled into a matrix that defines how to measure regarding quantitative and qualitative aspects. These methods imply Logging and data handling in Excel, Luminance mapping, Cultural Probes, Semi-structured Interviews, Observation, Self-experience studies and photo registration. The paper presents two matrices on what and how to measure sustainable homes. The paper is concluded with the assumption that exploring seven experimental sustainable homes will result in knowledge and learning to develop a holistic assessment method for evaluation sustainable homes of the future.