Title Page -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Foreword -- Introduction -- The passive house market: an innovation research opportunity -- Drivers of high energy efficiency -- opportunities for innovation -- Combating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions -- Securing energy supply -- Combating the economic crisis -- European policy development -- The development of the policy framework in the Netherlands -- The passive house potential in Belgium and the Netherlands -- Problem definition -- Goal of the research -- Main research question and sub-questions -- Research method -- Theoretical framework -- General innovation framework -- Key elements borrowed from Rogers' innovation framework -- General limitations of the research -- References -- Introduction to Part A: Adoption by enterprises -- References -- Innovations in passive house projects -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Research framework -- Research goal -- Research question and approach -- Limitations of the research -- Theoretical framework -- Innovations in passive houses -- Definitions and technology criteria -- Adoption of innovations in demonstration projects -- Opportunities and barriers -- Supporting factors in the adoption of innovation -- Factors impeding the adoption of innovation -- Solutions identified -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Opportunities for supplier-led systemic innovation in highly energy-efficient housing -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Research strategy -- Theoretical framework -- The innovation journey of a supplier in the context of highly energy-efficient housing -- Initiating the innovation journey -- From incremental to system innovation -- From autonomous idea to systemic coordination and cooperation -- Further collaboration with the passive house network -- Discussion and reflection on theory -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements.

References -- Collaboration opportunities in advanced housing renovation -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Research approach -- Key concerns on the supply side -- Research on web-based portals -- Research on actor collaboration -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Development of the passive house market: challenges and opportunities in the transition from innovators to early adopters -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Research strategy -- Enterprises involved in the adoption of innovation -- Relevance of innovation phases -- Relevance of size of enterprises -- Collaboration between enterprises -- Experiences from a passive house transition to early adoption -- Enterprise network data showing transition from innovation to early adoption -- Innovator versus early adopter enterprises -- Reflection on theory regarding company size and innovation -- Opportunities for and barriers to collaboration on the road to early adoption -- Conclusion -- References -- Introduction to Part B: User experiences -- References -- End-user experiences in nearly zero-energy houses -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Research strategy -- End-user experience research in Germany, Austria and Switzerland -- The literature on nearly zero-energy housing -- The concept of nearly zero energy as a reason for choosing a house -- General satisfaction according to end users -- Satisfaction with indoor climate systems -- The influence of control parameters on satisfaction levels -- The influence of information and communication on satisfaction levels -- Influence of the time factor on satisfaction levels -- Conclusion -- End-user experience research in the Netherlands -- Advancing end-user experience research -- Motives for choosing a house -- General satisfaction according to end users -- Satisfaction with indoor climate -- Satisfaction with ventilation systems -- Conclusion.

Discussion and recommendations -- References -- Improving passive house certification: recommendations based on end-user experiences -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Research framework -- Goal of the research -- Structure of the research -- Passive house certification in Flanders -- Post-occupancy evaluation research on passive houses -- Detected critical issues related to comfort concerns -- Research approach in Flanders -- Research results -- Results of the questionnaire: detecting important end-user concerns -- Results from the site visits in two cases (interviews and measurements) -- Opportunities for improving end-user satisfaction via passive house certification -- Using POE questionnaires to detect and address low appreciation -- Integrate additional passive house certification requirements -- Conclusion and recommendations -- Acknowledgements -- Addendum: Key questions for detecting building service related comfort/quality concerns in passive houses -- References -- Adoption of highly energy-efficient renovation concepts -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Highly energy-efficient renovation -- Innovation adoption -- Research definition -- Detailed case study -- Analysis -- Detected drivers -- Detected barriers -- Discussion -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Introduction to Part C: Policy to stimulate adoption -- References -- Policy definition of nearly zero-energy housing in Belgium and the Netherlands -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Outline of research -- Research goal and research question -- Research methodology -- Limitations of the research -- Adoption of definitions for highly energy-efficient housing in Belgium and the Netherlands -- General terms used -- Relevant definitions in research -- Definitions from demonstration projects -- Definitions introduced for market creation -- Legal definitions.

Discussion: the policy challenge of introducing 'nearly zero energy' in Belgium and the Netherlands -- Experiences in other countries -- Zero-carbon in the UK -- 'Zero-energy' definitions -- Discussion: relevance for Belgium and the Netherlands -- Definitions with favourable innovation characteristics -- Relating definitions to innovation diffusion -- Opportunities and barriers in the Netherlands -- Opportunities and barriers in Belgium -- Discussion -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Barriers and opportunities related to labels for highly energy-efficient houses -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Research question and method -- Research question -- Research method -- Energy performance certificates and labels -- The European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) -- Labels for highly energy-efficient residential buildings and passive houses -- Model development: innovation diffusion theory applied to labels -- Theory of diffusion of innovation -- Perceived attributes of labels from the communication perspective -- Marketing and diffusion of labels in European member states -- Internet questionnaire -- Increasing relative advantage and observability -- Reducing complexity -- Trialability and re-invention -- Conclusion -- Compatibility of labels with EPBD development -- Learning from advanced regions -- Introduction -- Germany -- Austria -- Belgium -- Italy, South Tyrol -- France -- Conclusion -- Conclusion -- References -- Success factors in the adoption of innovation: the promotion of passive housing -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Research strategy -- Theory development -- Operational activities facilitating transition -- Adoption of innovation -- Revisiting Rogers' innovation adoption model -- Activities of a passive house network -- Various activities addressing both customers and businesses -- Prior conditions.

Activities leading to awareness, 'how-to' and 'principles' knowledge -- Activities facilitating persuasion -- Activities facilitating decision and implementation -- Activities concerned with confirmation, closing the loop -- New segments and reinforcing conditions -- Success factors for the creation of customer demand and market infrastructure -- Adapting to changing prior conditions and market segments -- Network activities reinforce each step of the decision process -- Linking confirmation activities with knowledge generation -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Conclusions -- Introduction -- Opportunities and challenges related to the adoption of highly energy-efficient housing -- Challenges and opportunities for adoption by enterprises -- Challenges and opportunities for adoption by end-users -- Challenges and opportunities for adoption by government policymakers -- Challenges and opportunities, as observed from the supply side, the demand side and the policy side -- Discussion: recommendations for further market development -- Theoretical development and limitations of the research -- Contribution to theory development -- Limitations and future research -- References -- Further reading -- Appendix A. Passive house projects in Belgium -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Certified passive buildings in Belgium in 2005 -- Heusden-Destelbergen -- Heusden-zolder -- Ename -- Wijtschate -- Torhout -- Bocholt -- Introduction of the passive house standard in service buildings -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Appendix B. Emergence of a passive house niche network -- Introduction -- Emergence of a Flemish passive house network -- Development of expectations and visions -- First ideas about needed learning -- Building of a formal enterprise network -- Successful development of a proto-market -- Some detected success factors.

References.