Climate-neutral historic buildings, Slowacki Theatre in Poland - case study

Abstract

Global policy identifies achieving neutrality in sectors with the highest energy intensity rates as a priority for action. Countries are taking important and necessary measures to achieve this goal. The European Union has introduced a near-zero energy building standard in the construction sector. The next step is the Fit to 55 package, which is a milestone for Europe to achieve total neutrality in 2025. The climate-neutral policy has resulted in requirements and regulations already implemented in the sectors that consume the most energy and emit the most greenhouse gases. One such sector is construction, which accounts for around 40% of total energy consumption. Buildings newly designed in EU countries must now meet stringent thermal protection requirements. In Europe and Poland, governments are allocating substantial funds for the thermal modernisation of existing buildings. The exceptions to this are listed buildings and buildings under preservationist care. Such buildings are not subject to thermal protection regulations. In historic buildings, the priority is to protect the national heritage. However, the recent Energy Performance Directive introduced, for the first time, a recommendation that historic buildings should also be investigated for energy efficiency measures, under strict protection of the historic character of the building, of course. In this article, the authors present an analysis of a historic building of great historical significance. It is the Słowacki Theatre in Krakow. The research question the authors answer in their analysis is whether and how a historic building can be brought to a level of zero energy and climate neutrality. The second research question is whether, in addition to aspects related to energy saving and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, other aspects of designing the improvement of the historic building and its surroundings should also be considered in the analysis. The results of the authors' analysis indicate that a building level of near-zero energy demand can only be achieved for a listed building if the building undergoes thermal modernisation measures approved by the conservation officer and then the heat source is replaced with biomass or a heat pump powered by photovoltaic panels. To the aspects related to the preservation of the historical heritage, the improvement of energy efficiency and the reduction of CO2 emissions, the authors propose to include aspects related to the comfort of use of the building and aspects related to the accessibility of the building for people with special needs (the elderly and people with disabilities).