The essay shows a theoretical model of social factors involved in the adoption of technological energy saving innovations in dwellings. Some of these factors are strictly related to dwellers, some belong to fields relatively distant from their everyday life and behaviour. An analysis of the Tuscan case gives the opportunity to show the complexity of relations in the model and to discuss some critical issues that scientific research on this topic has necessarily to deal with.
Keywords: Energy saving, technological innovation, housing, energetic sustainability, Tuscany, socio-demographic factors