A governance response: from persuasive to coercive?

Seeking to achieve building retrofits, government responses can be, and have been, coercive, persuasive, or both, and have ranged from punitive tax regimes and statutory requirements to “nudge” techniques and voluntary programmes. This chapter analyses a range of measures in different jurisdictions and across the spectrum of interventions (such as taxes, certification requirements, statutory obligations, and economic incentives). It assesses whether such measures are sufficient in light of the great urgency posed by global challenges, including climate change (adaptation and mitigation) and the Covid-19 pandemic (health and wellbeing). It argues that not enough is being done to shift the pendulum from coercive to persuasive techniques, and suggests ways in which governments should seek higher levels of effectiveness through an overhaul of the building regulatory system. This overhaul would involve combining coercive and persuasive interventions and targeting different groups of property owners and users with tailored regulatory and governance interventions.