Green buildings and lived sustainabilities in Germany and Luxembourg (LIVEABLE)

The LIVEABLE research project investigates everyday usage practices of green buildings through the interdependencies between conception and realization and daily practices of living and working in green buildings. For this study, we define green buildings as buildings and building ensembles that are designed and built to reduce environmental impact both during construction and in operation encompassing green technologies, design features and building materials. The focus is on the transformation of the users' everyday "lived sustainabilities" and the resistance to change that characterizes interdependencies between discourses of green building (perspectives and interpretations), activities of building, living and working, and the green buildings themselves. This perspective focuses on the potentially transformative role of green buildings and their specific material manifestations through changing behaviours, social values, and norms. Building traditions, the buildings themselves, and social conventions influence perceptions, expectations, and lifestyles. Beyond using buildings, living and working practices are interwoven with other areas of life, such as mobility, education, and health.