The latest European polices highlight the urgent need to rehabilitate the existing building stock, responsible for 40 % of the EU's total energy consumption. In this process, a key role is played by ...thermal simulations, assessing the effective energy performances. However, significant discrepancies between real and simulated consumptions are frequently outlined. Inaccurate results are particularly dangerous for modern buildings, which, rarely protected, are often altered by invasive retrofitting solutions, with little regard for their heritage and cultural value. This paper introduces a comprehensive framework for the building energy simulation, ensuring the necessary model credibility. It consists of dynamic modelling, calibration and validation, enhancing the usefulness of the final results. A validated model is in fact the premise to propose a well-balanced retrofitting scenario, improving the current energy performances, reducing the operational costs, and preserving the historical values of existing buildings. As operative case-study, Chauderon administrative building in Lausanne (1969–1974), designed by the Atelier AAA in collaboration with Jean Prouvé, has been selected. Today, the complex is well-preserved in its original materiality and represents an iconic example of the modern aesthetics, with an expressed need for retrofitting. Following the proposed framework, a reliable model in WUFIplus has been created and validated according to ASHRAE 14, allowing to reliably test the efficacy of future retrofitting scenarios. The final aim of this process is to minimize the risk of inappropriate interventions. For high-quality or recognized post-World War II building stock, the use of a calibrated and validated model is justified and recommended over the static or simplified modelling approaches still commonly employed today.
•A comprehensive framework for existing building energy models calibration and validation.•A validated model improves future retrofitting scenarios' credibility.•Sensitivity Analysis and factorial design help in reducing the performance gaps.•Valuable buildings particularly need reliably validated models.•The retrofitting of modern heritage buildings asks for a multidisciplinary approach.
AbstractThe significance of environmental management of existing buildings in reducing the environmental impact of the construction sector is increasingly emphasized. However, life-cycle assessment ...(LCA) to evaluate a building’s environmental burden requires considerable time and costs for the collection and interpretation of data needed for analysis. Therefore, this study proposed an integrated assessment framework of economic, environmental, and human health impacts using scan-to-building information modeling (BIM) and LCA in existing buildings. To verify the proposed framework, a case study was conducted. A BIM model with an error rate of 1.442% can be automatically generated from the three-dimensional (3D) point cloud using parametric algorithm. The total cost for the target case was calculated at USD 162,769, and the environmental cost accounted for the largest percentage at 97.15%. The developed framework in this study holds significance because it enables the automated assessment of economic, environmental, and human health impacts of existing buildings through the integration of BIM and LCA.
Facility management (FM) is the most extended phase of the entire life cycle of buildings and incurs the highest expenses. However, limited quality drawings and historical data make information flow ...more complicated for many existing buildings and lead to inefficient FM. This research proposes a systematic and comprehensive reality point cloud model-based framework to support the FM process with feasible visual data collection. Specifically, this framework covers an end-to-end workflow of using a reality model to implement FM strategies, including visual data capture process for generating a reality model; FM information attachment in a reality model for issue queries; and information flow for issue tracking. The resulting reality model captures with critical and necessary FM data input can be used as an asset information model (AIM). We have also defined stakeholders' responsibilities in implementing FM and how the data are transferred, updated, and used within a reality point cloud-based AIM by stakeholders. The framework is evaluated by interviewing FM experts, and the results demonstrate that implementing the framework could improve the FM process's efficiency by using reality models.
Renovation of existing buildings is fundamental to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the building sector and to ensure the efficient operation of renewable heating systems. In multi-family houses, ...the suitability of heat pumps is limited by high required temperatures for the hot water preparation, which can be mitigated by hybrid heat pump systems. In this study, the energetic performance of a hybrid heat pump in a multi-family house, built in 1964, is investigated based on field data before and after a renovation. Multiple months are measured and mapped to a full year period. The combination of different renovation measures in the heating system and building envelope is rated w.r.t. their ecological and economical impact by taking into account the actual investment costs. The evaluation shows that the installation of a hybrid heat pump can achieve an accumulated greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 45%, which is similar to a building renovation to a new-build standard, which reduces the space heating demand by up to 62%. Nevertheless, only a combination of both measures can substantially reduce the emissions, which in this case are 81% lower compared to a gas boiler in 1990, which is still below the German climate target for 2040. Due to the low investment costs of a hybrid heat pump system, tenants are more likely to profit from a renting costs reduction, while a building renovation is especially economically beneficial at high energy prices. The results therefore emphasize that the insulation level should be selected carefully, as heat pumps already prepare space heating efficiently and that the heat pump must be able to support the hot water preparation to reach high emission reduction targets.
Due to the need of good thermal performance, external wall insulation (EWI) is usually made of materials that are not fire resistant and sometimes flammable. That restricts its application to a ...particular circumstance such as limited building height. Hence, a material with good thermal insulation and fire resistance performance would allow EWI to be more widely applied. This paper introduces a novel material: a silica-based aerogel porous board, which differs itself from mainstream products available in the market because of its outstanding properties, such as low density, high surface area, low thermal conductivity and superhydrophobicity. Herein, its thermal insulation and fire-resistant performance were tested and compared with commercial products. The cone calorimeter analysis results indicated that the aerogel porous board could improve the fire resistance performance. Moreover, the evaluation of thermal insulation performance suggested that the application of an aerogel porous board on the external stone wall of existing buildings can decrease the U-value by 60%. Through the detailed insight into the case-study, it is quite clear that the carbon impact of building stock could be greatly reduced by means of a coherent set of building envelope retrofitting actions based on this innovative heat insulation material, without compromising the fire safety.
The building and construction sector has a significant impact on the CO2 emissions and pollutants released into the atmosphere, which contribute to climate change. The EPDB Directive mandates the ...achievement of minimum energy class E for all residential buildings by 2030 and energy class D by 2033. Particularly, in Italy, about 86% of the existing building stock predates the enactment of any energy laws or regulations, making it imperative to apply the energy efficiency interventions. This paper provides a support decision tool for the identification of the standardized interventions in the building envelope, the air conditioning system, and domestic hot water production. This study is focused on a specific construction period class (1976–1990) in six different climatic zones. The methodological approach is based on a cataloguing phase and the definition of ante operam energy classes as well as on case study identification, energy requalification intervention identification, solution simulations, and cost estimation. By simulating the standardized interventions for each climatic zone, a range of possible combinations is identified. The most advantageous ones are determined based on a cost–benefit analysis considering the potential class jump achieved. The research result is a matrix of energy efficiency interventions that is applicable to each climatic zone and can be extended to the existing housing stock.
Demand for energy and resources is increasing day by day. The construction industry plays a major role in the consumption of energy and resources. Buildings that were built before energy-efficient ...sustainable practices became popular consume a larger portion of energy as compared to the new buildings. As a result, enhancing energy performance through retrofitting of those old buildings is a major concern in the construction industry. In the modern built environment, there are many technologies available in the market to enhance the energy performance of such buildings. However, the body of knowledge regarding energy retrofitting technologies is still scattered. Therefore, in this study, a review-based assessment was undertaken to identify energy retrofitting technologies that could enhance energy performance in existing buildings. The Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was followed during the article screening and selection for this study. Following a systematic filtering process, a total of 149 out of 643 research contributions have been considered for in-depth analysis of energy retrofitting classification and respective energy retrofitting technologies. According to the review, energy retrofitting technologies are categorized into three main aspects; building envelope retrofitting, building system retrofitting, and renewable energy. The study found thirty-seven (37) energy-related retrofitting technologies in the current context. Further, 25 possible energy retrofitting technologies were identified under the six main subcategories, including façade, roof floor, window, door, and orientation. In terms of building system retrofitting, 10 possible energy retrofitting technologies were identified under the HVAC system and lighting system. The remaining two technologies identified under the renewable energy category were solar and wind technology. The review further confirms that the application of energy-related retrofitting technologies has the highest contribution in terms of energy and cost saving of existing buildings. It is expected that this outcome would better guide stakeholders in decision-making with regard to the selection of energy retrofitting technologies in a given context.
Green Building refers to the planning, design, construction, and operation of buildings considering indoor environment quality, occupant health, using energy, water, and other resources more ...efficiently; and reducing waste, pollution, and the overall environmental impact. Among the Green Building guidelines, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) offers a certification and rating system by which buildings are certified in different categories. The LEED rating system is used to rate an existing building how much it is fulfilling the criteria of Green Building (GB) or not. This research explored how an existing conventional building can be retrofitted to satisfy green building standards. An academic building of KUET has been selected for the study. A field survey and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools (i.e., Focus Group Discussion (FGD), Key Informant Interview (KII)) were used for the data collection and then the data was analyzed by comparative analysis concerning the LEED 2009 rating system for assessing the building. The New Academic building receives 31 points out of 110 and so cannot earn any certification level. The lacking for which the points were not gained is identified and the installation of water and energy efficiency features, rooftop gardening is suggested as retrofitting options to earn the green building certification level.
Abstract Global warming is caused by several factors, one of them being the uncontrolled construction sector that impacts the environment. The concept of green construction and green building is a ...solution to reduce global warming within the scope of civil engineering buildings. This study determined the criteria and predicate of the results of implementing green buildings according to the Greenship certification by the Green Building Council Indonesia (GBCI) in Binus Syahdan Jakarta. The research method used green building analysis based on the existing greenship building version 1.1. The result is the silver predicate, with the lowest value being Material Resource and Cycle (MRC) and the highest being Energy Efficiency Conservation (EEC). After improvisation, a maximum point was obtained (95) with a platinum predicate. Based on the analysis of the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) calculation for the next 15-20 years, the BINUS Syahdan campus building can save costs of Rp. 7,515,719,282.
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