Sustainable Construction through the Lens of Neoliberal Governance: The Case of Vernacular Building Systems in Catalonia, Spain

Abstract

This paper asserts that neoliberal forms of governance are increasingly found in construction systems in Spain, a fact which becomes especially problematic when considering vernacular construction systems. Technological management and policy are both becoming more focussed on the promotion and consolidation of ‘expert systems’ at the expense of ‘different’ (and in particular) vernacular systems, which are processes which influence minds, and fundamentally shape subsequent actions. This paper adopts an ethnographic approach, undertaking investigation into the complexity of commonly found building systems, based upon empirical evidence gathered in the region of Catalonia. Focussing research on local vernacular construction systems reveals the extent to which the operation of distinct sets of managing ‘technologies’—embedded in specific practices such as auditing—becomes instrumental in shaping local construction practices. Currently, locally distinctive practices are deeply impacted by social influences generated far away, which have the consequences of significantly influencing, diluting, or even erasing vernacular building systems, even where these represent an important source of sustainable building techniques.