Comfort, fashion, home and sustainability: How (/not) to live your life in a jumper

Zhao, Jill

Abstract

This presentation makes link between architecture and fashion, examining the socially constructed idea of comfort, modernity presented in both the built environment and garment industry.
Comfort is a socially constructed, ‘fashionable’ concept. It is connected with cultural ideas such as dress code, etiquette, or what was considered a civilised life.
Sustainability is also a ‘fashionable’ concept, the current discourse of achieving ‘energy efficiency’ rather than ‘energy reduction’ could lead to more energy demand.
Passivhaus is in fashion. However, without behaviour adaptation, Passivhaus is at risk of becoming another model of controlled environment with a narrow range of comfort, where you never have to live your life in a jumper.
But… could fashion also be the answer to these questions? If jumpers are the new style, if personal adaptation is more fashionable than controlling the environment, could we have a more sustainable energy demand?

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: Sustainable Fashion Forum
• Start Date: May 7, 2024
• Acceptance Date: May 7, 2024
• Deposit Date: Nov 20, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 20, 2024
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/13449355