Skip to main content
Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Negotiating net-zero carbon: an ANT analysis of two buildings Cover

Negotiating net-zero carbon: an ANT analysis of two buildings

By:  and    
Open Access
|Jul 2026

References

  1. Andersen, I. (2017). Towards zero energy and zero emission buildings—Definitions, concepts, and strategies. Building Sustainability, 4, 6371.
  2. Attia, S., Hamdy, M., O’Brien, W., & Carlucci, S. (2013). Assessing gaps and needs for integrating building performance optimization tools in net zero energy buildings design. Energy and Buildings, 60, 110124. 10.1016/j.enbuild.2013.01.016
  3. Bai, L., Wang, L., Song, Z., Wang, Y., & Wang, S. (2025). Toward a zero-carbon building future: Innovations and challenges for sustainable development in China. International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies, 20, 531544. 10.1093/ijlct/ctae233
  4. Beemsterboer, S., Baumann, H., & Wallbaum, H. (2025). The myth of informed decision-making: Explaining the substantive effectiveness of LCA use in a building product development project. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 30, 32303249. 10.1007/s11367-025-02472-5
  5. Besana, D., & Tirelli, D. (2022). Reuse and retrofitting strategies for a net zero carbon building in Milan: An analytic evaluation. Sustainability, 14(23), 16115. 10.3390/su142316115
  6. Bignetti, B., de Souza, A. C. A. A., & Petrini, M. (2023). Actor-network theory: Methodological issues in practice. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal, 18(2), 142162. 10.1108/QROM-05-2022-2337
  7. Borgstein, E. H., Lamberts, R., & Hensen, J. L. M. (2016). Evaluating energy performance in non-domestic buildings: A review. Energy and Buildings, 128, 734755. 10.1016/j.enbuild.2016.07.018
  8. Bueger, C. (2013). Actor-network theory, methodology, and international organization. International Political Sociology, 7(3), 338342. 10.1111/ips.12026_3
  9. Callon, M. (1984). Some elements of a sociology of translation: Domestication of the scallops and the fishermen of St Brieuc Bay. The Sociological Review, 32(1_suppl), 196233. 10.1111/j.1467-954X.1984.tb00113.x
  10. Callon, M. (1998). An essay on framing and overflowing: Economic externalities revisited by sociology. The Sociological Review, 46(S1), 244269. 10.1111/j.1467-954X.1998.tb03477.x
  11. Clarke, J., Littlewood, J. R., & Karani, G. (2023). Developing tools to enable the UK construction industry to adopt the active building concept for net zero carbon buildings. Buildings (Basel), 13(2), 304. 10.3390/buildings13020304
  12. De Wilde, P. (2002). Managing the selection of energy saving features in building design. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 9(3), 192208.
  13. Ewenstein, B., & Whyte, J. (2009). Knowledge practices in design: The role of visual representations as ‘epistemic objects’. Organization Studies, 30(1), 0730. 10.1177/0170840608083014
  14. Falana, J., Osei-Kyei, R., & Tam, V. W. (2024). Towards achieving a net zero carbon building: A review of key stakeholders and their roles in net zero carbon building whole life cycle. Journal of Building Engineering, 82, 108223. 10.1016/j.jobe.2023.108223
  15. Georg, S., & Justesen, L. (2017). Counting to zero: Accounting for a green building. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 30(5), 10651081. 10.1108/AAAJ-04-2013-1320
  16. Gluch, P., & Bosch-Sijtsema, P. (2016). Conceptualizing environmental expertise through the lens of institutional work. Construction Management & Economics, 34(7/8), 522535. 10.1080/01446193.2016.1177191
  17. Goodchild, B., & Walshaw, A. (2011). Towards zero carbon homes in England? From inception to partial implementation. Housing Studies, 26(6), 933949. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673037.2011.593132
  18. Green, S. D. (2023). Making sense of construction improvement. Taylor & Francis.
  19. Green, S. D., & Sergeeva, N. (2020). The contested privileging of zero carbon: Plausibility, persuasiveness and professionalism. Buildings and Cities, 1(1), Article 1. 10.5334/bc.49
  20. Harty, C. (2005). Innovation in construction: A sociology of technology approach. Building Research & Information, 33(6), 512522. 10.1080/09613210500288605
  21. Harty, C. (2008). Implementing innovation in construction: Contexts, relative boundedness and actor-network theory. Construction Management and Economics, 26(10), 10291041. 10.1080/01446190802298413
  22. Hasan, L. N., Lizarralde, G., & Lachapelle, E. (2025). The legitimation of private net zero emission building standards in the context of global decarbonization goals. Construction Management and Economics, 43(5), 360380. 10.1080/01446193.2024.2436395
  23. Hugosson, M., Stevik, K., Soberg, P., & Tryggestad, K. (2019). Forming innovative projects in sustainable construction: How socio-technical connectivity shapes the building project and its context. In M. Ingemansson Havenvid, A. Lenne, L. E. Bygballe, & C. Harty (Eds.), The connectivity of innovation in the construction industry (pp. 1131). Routledge.
  24. Latour, B. (1987). Science in action: How to follow scientists and engineers through society. Harvard University Press.
  25. Latour, B. (2005). Reassembling the social: An introduction to actor-network-theory. Oxford University Press.
  26. Law, J. (1984). On the methods of long-distance control: Vessels, navigation and the Portuguese route to India. The Sociological Review, 32(1_suppl), 234263. 10.1111/j.1467-954X.1984.tb00114.x
  27. Law, J. (1992). Notes on the theory of the actor-network: Ordering, strategy, and heterogeneity. Systems Practice, 5(4), 379393. 10.1007/BF01059830
  28. Law, J. (2006). Traduction/Trahison: Notes on ANT. Convergencia, 13(42), 4772.
  29. Le, A., Rodrigo, N., Domingo, N., & Senaratne, S. (2023). Policy mapping for net-zero-carbon buildings: Insights from leading countries. Buildings, 13(11), 2766. 10.3390/buildings13112766
  30. London, K., & Pablo, Z. (2017). An actor–network theory approach to developing an expanded conceptualization of collaboration in industrialized building housing construction. Construction Management and Economics, 35(8–9). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01446193.2017.1339361
  31. Lou, H.-L., & Hsieh, S.-H. (2024). Towards zero: A review on strategies in achieving net-zero-energy and net-zero-carbon buildings. Sustainability, 16(11), 4735. 10.3390/su16114735
  32. Lützkendorf, T., & Frischknecht, R. (2020). (Net)zero-emission buildings: A typology of terms and definitions. Buildings & Cities, 1(1), 662675. 10.5334/bc.66
  33. Mahmoodi, M., Rasheed, E., & Le, A. (2024). Systematic review on the barriers and challenges of organisations in delivering new net zero emissions buildings. Buildings, 14(6), 1829. 10.3390/buildings14061829
  34. Marsh, E., Orr, J., & Ibell, T. (2021). Quantification of uncertainty in product stage embodied carbon calculations for buildings. Energy and Buildings, 251, 111340. 10.1016/j.enbuild.2021.111340
  35. NTNU. (2026). ZEB Research Centre. https://www.ntnu.edu/climatepositivebuildings/zeb-research-centre
  36. Ohene, E., Chan, A. P. C., & Darko, A. (2022a). Prioritizing barriers and developing mitigation strategies toward net-zero carbon building sector. Building and Environment, 223, 109437. 10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109437
  37. Ohene, E., Chan, A. P. C., & Darko, A. (2022b). Review of global research advances towards net-zero emissions buildings. Energy and Buildings, 266, 112142. 10.1016/j.enbuild.2022.112142
  38. Ohene, E., Chan, A. P. C., Darko, A., & Nani, G. (2023). Navigating toward net zero by 2050: Drivers, barriers, and strategies for net zero carbon buildings in an emerging market. Building and Environment, 242, 110472. 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110472
  39. Pan, W., & Ning, Y. (2015). A socio-technical framework of zero-carbon building policies. Building Research & Information, 43(1), 94110. 10.1080/09613218.2015.955759
  40. Pan, W., & Pan, M. (2021). Drivers, barriers and strategies for zero carbon buildings in high-rise high-density cities. Energy and Buildings, 242, 110970. 10.1016/j.enbuild.2021.110970
  41. Rydin, Y. (2013). Using actor network theory to understand planning practice: Exploring relationships between actants in regulating low-carbon commercial development. Planning Theory, 12(1), 2345.
  42. Sage, D., Justesen, L., Dainty, A., Tryggestad, K., & Mouritsen, J. (2016). Organizing space and time through relational human–animal boundary work: Exclusion, invitation and disturbance. 10.1177/1350508416629449
  43. Sayes, E. (2014). Actor-network theory and methodology: Just what does it mean to say that nonhumans have agency? Social Studies of Science, 44(1), 134149.
  44. Schweber, L. (2014). The cultural role of science in policy implementation: Voluntary self-regulation in the UK building sector. In S. Frickel & D. J. Hess (Eds.), Fields of knowledge: Science, politics and publics in the neoliberal age. Emerald Group. 10.1108/S0198-871920140000027014
  45. The US Department of Energy. (2026). Zero energy building project profiles. https://www.energy.gov/cmei/buildings/zero-energy-building-project-profiles
  46. Tryggestad, K., Georg, S., & Hernes, T. (2011). How objects shape logics in construction. Construction Management and Economics, 28(6), 695705.
  47. UKNZCBS. (2026). UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard. https://www.nzcbuildings.co.uk/the-standard
  48. Urge-Vorsatz, D. (2020). Advances toward a net-zero global building sector. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 45, 227269.
  49. Venturini, T. (2010). Diving in magma: How to explore controversies with actor-network theory. Public Understanding of Science, 19(3), 258273. 10.1177/0963662509102694
  50. Voss, K., & Musall, E. (2012). Net zero energy buildings: International projects of carbon neutrality in buildings. Walter de Gruyter.
  51. Wang, D., & Lin, Y. (2025). A comprehensive review on definitions, development, and policies of net-zero carbon buildings (nZCBs). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 217, 115750. 10.1016/j.rser.2025.115750
  52. WGBC. (2026). World Green Building Council – Case Study Library. https://worldgbc.org/case-study-library/about-the-case-study-library/
  53. Yaneva, A. (2005). Scaling up and down: Extraction trials in architectural design. Social Studies of Science, 35(6), 867894. 10.1177/0306312705053053
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/bc.807 | Journal eISSN: 2632-6655
Language: English
Page range: 791 - 807
Submitted on: Feb 23, 2026
Accepted on: Jun 26, 2026
Published on: Jul 17, 2026
Published by: Ubiquity Press
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2026 Libby Schweber, Martin Green, published by Ubiquity Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.