Action research as a tool for collecting private information from Spanish wineries for further architectural bioclimatic analysis: lessons from behind the scenes

Abstract

Abstract Geographically diagnosing the usage of sustainable bioclimatic architectural practices in wineries is most of the time complicated. This difficulty stems from the unavailability in the scientific literature of private documents, such as the actual architectural plans of constructed wineries. This article reflects on the action research process that supported and explored the learning process during a large scale data gathering effort involving, a research team, and a universe of more than 4800 wineries in the Spanish Geography. The whole process was part of a larger project whose acronym is Cowinergy, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity. Results highlight the importance of process facilitation in a value chain of learning (within a social system), in order to create an environment in which the people in charge of the wineries felt at ease when collaborating with the research team. The facilitators designed the process to be iterative so the learning activities where consistently aligned with the needs of the overall project, thus ensuring practical relevance.