Energy and Aesthetic Upgrading Interventions: Assessing Urban Block Renovation Scenarios

Dimitra Tsirigoti,Dimitrios Bikas,Dimitrios Zenginis

doi:10.5755/j01.sace.29.2.29176

Dimitra Tsirigoti, Dimitrios Bikas + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.sace.29.2.29176

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Abstract

The target towards carbon neutral cities emerges as a new way to mitigate the environmental pollution and the indisputable climate change, but it can also be the chance for the overall improvement of the quality of life by promoting the upgrading of the often low aesthetic quality of the urban environments. The objective of the research is to investigate renovation strategies at the city scale that will not only reduce the energy demand, but they will also promote the improvement of the city’s aesthetics. Two different typologies of urban block forms of the Greek city are examined, and four scenarios of renovation interventions are analysed according to energy and aesthetic criteria. The heating and cooling load demand is calculated through simulations for the four renovation scenarios which include: The improvement of the thermal insulation of the building’s shells. The use of phase change materials. The construction of green roofs. The integration of passive solar and shading systems. The findings of the research prove that the energy interventions at the urban block scale can define the degree of efficiency in the energy performance level without compromising aesthetics, as the added value resulting from higher aesthetics is a basic criterion for the overall improvement of the quality of life.

Highlights

The findings of the research prove that the energy interventions at the urban block scale can define the degree of efficiency in the energy performance level without compromising aesthetics, as the added value resulting from higher aesthetics is a basic criterion for the overall improvement of the quality of life
The Phase Change Materials (PCM) could provide a significant improvement in the energy efficiency ranging from 57.5 % to 58.7 % according to the urban block form, but as extensive construction works in the interior of buildings should be performed, their application should be carefully considered on a cost benefit analysis
Green roofs can provide better results in cases where the decrease of cooling demand is a priority as it has been calculated that they can provide a reduction in cooling load demand ranging from 4 to 5.5 % compared to the thermal insulation scenario

Summary

Introduction

The objective of the research is to investigate renovation strategies at the city scale that will reduce the energy demand, but they will promote the improvement of the city’s aesthetics. Two different typologies of urban block forms of the Greek city are examined, and four scenarios of renovation interventions are analysed according to energy and aesthetic criteria. The findings of the research prove that the energy interventions at the urban block scale can define the degree of efficiency in the energy performance level without compromising aesthetics, as the added value resulting from higher aesthetics is a basic criterion for the overall improvement of the quality of life The heating and cooling load demand is calculated through simulations for the four renovation scenarios which include: _ The improvement of the thermal insulation of the building’s shells. _ The use of phase change materials. _ The construction of green roofs. _ The integration of passive solar and shading systems.

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