Social Production of Desirable Space: An Exploration of the Practice and Role of Property Agents in the UK Commercial Property Market

Abstract

The design, construction, and occupation of a sustainable built environment have been the focus of much research over recent years. Most notably, the focus has been on the modelling and prediction of energy use and carbon production during the design process together with the monitoring of carbon emissions during occupation. A second focus has highlighted the influence of occupant behaviour on carbon emissions. However, this overlooks the complex social interactions which together produce the built environment. There is room for seeking to unpack the social production of (un)sustainable buildings from design through construction to commissioning. These buildings significantly set the agenda for the behaviour of occupants whatever their level of carbon consciousness. In this paper we use the practices and role of property agents in the commercial property market as a window on the social production of (un)sustainable buildings.