The Role of Architects in Energy Transition: A Critical Reframing of Architectural Practice in the Libyan Context

Abstract

e building sector is undergoing a profound transformation within the context of the global energy transition, where energy is no longer perceived as a purely technical issue but as part of a complex socio-technical system involving institutional, professional, and design dimensions. In this context, architectural design plays a critical role in determining building energy performance from the early design stages. However, both literature and professional practice reveal a significant gap between this theoretical role and the architect’s actual position within energy-related decision-making processes.

This research aims to investigate this gap by re-framing the role of the architect within the energy transition discourse, adopting a systemic perspective grounded in socio-technical transition theories. The Libyan context is examined as an empirical case, characterized by high solar energy potential alongside limited integration of renewable energy in architectural practice, primarily due to structural misalignments between architectural education, regulatory frameworks, professional practice, and technological implementation. The study employs a critical analytical approach to examine the underlying causes of the marginalization of architects and introduces a “role matrix” as an analytical tool to diagnose the gap between current and required roles. Furthermore, it proposes a transformative framework, the Architectural Energy Transition Model (AETM), which conceptualizes the dynamic interactions among education, regulation, practice, and technology, and repositions the architect as an intermediary energy actor within a multi-level system. The study contributes to the literature by offering an integrated analytical framework that links energy transition, the role of the architect, and institutional structures. It shifts the discourse from a technology-centered approach toward a governance-oriented perspective focused on the distribution of roles and decision-making power within the design process. The findings suggest that achieving an effective energy transition in the building sector requires a fundamental reallocation of design authority in alignment with actual points of influence, particularly within the architectural design phase.