Transitions in vernacular built-environments: socio-technical perspectives on climate-responsive sustainability in Hyderabad, India

Purpose This study examines socio-technical transitions in vernacular built-environments (VBEs) of Hyderabad, India (a Global South City), investigating how social negotiations shape the climate-responsive sustainability of VBEs. It interprets these transitions through a Social Construction of Technology (SCOT)-informed framework to understand material, spatial, and environmental outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Twelve pre-1960 dwellings of the city's hot semi-arid climate were investigated through a qualitative empirical approach combining semi-structured interviews, architectural documentation, and on-site monitoring of temperature and humidity. Findings VBEs function as socio-technical ensembles shaped by negotiations among relevant social groups. Transitions are incremental, socially negotiated and path-dependent. Interventions retaining traditional technology and spatial logic sustain climate-responsiveness, while insensitive contemporary modifications erode it and increase reliance on mechanical cooling. Abandonment represents an irreversible loss of low-energy living systems. Research limitations/implications Findings are grounded in Hyderabad's specific climatic and socio-cultural context but offer a transferable socio-technical framework for analysing housing transitions across diverse settings. The study highlights the relevance of vernacular knowledge systems for climate-responsive contemporary design and supports adaptive continuity of existing VBEs. Aligned with SDG 11 and SDG 13, sustaining vernacular housing reduces energy demand and supports low-carbon urban transitions. Originality/value This study applies a SCOT-informed framework to VBEs, foregrounding socio-technical negotiation as a determinant of climate-responsiveness and contributes a replicable methodology for built-environment research across diverse contexts.