HWZ: Presentation of the Sustainability Award
Many condominium properties are in urgent need of energy renovation, but renovation projects often meet with resistance at condominium owners' meetings. In view of climate change, however, it is crucial to increase the speed of renovation. The aspired acceleration of energy refurbishment of condominiums is the focus of Medina Seferovic's bachelor thesis. She is this year's winner of the UBS Sustainability Award for outstanding bachelor theses at the HWZ School of Business Zurich and with her work makes a valuable contribution to sustainability in the building sector.
Around a quarter of the greenhouse gases emitted in Switzerland and around 40% of the nationwide energy consumption are attributable to the building sector. At the same time, over one million buildings in Switzerland are in urgent need of renovation from an energy perspective. But renovation progress is slow: For Switzerland to achieve its climate targets, the renovation rate would have to be tripled.
Challenges with condominiums
Among others, homeowners are also responsible. The home ownership rate in Switzerland is around 36%, with around one third of homeowners living in condominiums. Medina Seferovic focused on this group in her bachelor thesis. This is because renovation projects are often particularly difficult for condominiums, as the necessary majority must be found in the condominium owners' meeting.
Practical recommendations for action for a sustainable future
In order to answer the question: Which approaches are suitable to increase the renovation speed of condominium owners?, Medina Seferovic interviewed several experts in a first step after an extensive literature research. Based on this, she identified several factors that should have a positive or negative impact on the likelihood of an energetic renovation. In a second step, she conducted a survey among condominium owners in order to test the hypotheses thus established.
Some hypotheses were confirmed. For example, a lack of know-how or conflicting opinions between the generations in a condominium owners' association reduce the probability of an energy-related renovation. However, the study also provides surprising findings. The analysis of the survey shows, among other things, that neither the perceived benefit of the measures nor the personal attitude towards the environment have a significant influence on the probability of an energetic refurbishment.
Finally, the author provides valuable and practice-oriented recommendations for condominium owners, condominium administrators and companies in the energy consulting and construction industry on how to increase the rate of renovation in condominiums.
The awarding of the UBS Sustainability Prize
For the fifth time in a row, the HWZ, in cooperation with UBS, is awarding the Sustainability Prize for outstanding bachelor theses. With this award, the jury particularly wants to acknowledge the relevance of the topic, the exemplary scientific approach of Ms. Seferovic as well as the high practical benefit of the thesis due to the given recommendations for action. The award was presented at the HWZ Bachelor's degree ceremony on Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
Source: www.fh-hwz.ch
