The issue network of zero-carbon built environments: a quantitative and qualitative analysis

Abstract

Environmental politics research frequently centres on the analysis of networks but predominantly from a qualitative perspective. The case is made for combining quantitative analysis of policy networks alongside qualitative research. This enables the structure and form of the network to be considered and focused attention then paid to how actors operationalise the network and give agency to the position of central nodes. This is explored through an empirical analysis of the issue network surrounding the zero-carbon built environment agenda in the United Kingdom in 2009–11. It demonstrates the diffuse yet clustered nature of the network and the importance of expertise claims, internal communication, resources, a unified voice and the organisational business model in shaping organisations' activities within the network.

Keywords:

• policy networks
• zero carbon
• built environment
• social network analysis

Acknowledgements

I acknowledge the work of Simon Myerson, Wadham College, Oxford, in collating the original ZCBE database and preparing it for analysis using UCINET. I also thank three anonymous referees for helpful comments.