Exploring the Relationship between Environmental and Economic Payback Times, and Heritage Values in an Energy Renovation of a Multi-Residential Pre-War Building

Adeline Jerome,Paula Femenías,Paula Wahlgren,Pär Johansson,Liane Thuvander

doi:10.3390/heritage4040201

Abstract

Cultural value and heritage have been identified as necessary for a sustainable living environment, alongside environmental concern and energy efficiency. In this study, multiple methods, i.e., life cycle assessment, payback, and questionnaires and interviews with tenants, and empirical data from a recent energy renovation of a multi-residential pre-war building with wooden construction were used to analyse the impact of the renovation on cultural and aesthetic values, environmental impact, financial payback time, and user satisfaction. In the energy renovation, the façade, which had been disfigured in an earlier renovation, was recreated to resemble the original architecture. The main questions are: What impact has the recreation of the façade on the environmental payback time in comparison to a more conventional renovation? What are the consequences for the user satisfaction and financial return on investment? The results show that the recreated façade has improved the building’s aesthetics without compromising the environmental benefits. It also resulted in better thermal comfort, which is highly valued by the tenants. The improved aesthetics are also appreciated by the tenants, but to a lesser extent. Financially, the renovation is estimated to be not viable. Results of this study can be applied in the decision-making of similar renovation projects.

Highlights

The building and construction sector is responsible for 40% of the energy consumption and 36% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the European Union [1]
The results from the environmental and financial assessment are structured in five sub-sections. They present the results of the inventory for the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the LCA results related to construction materials for the implemented renovation, a comparison of environmental and economic payback times estimated with different energy consumption data, the comparison of the two cases of renovation, and, an uncertainty analysis with respect to environmental data of the energy production and of district heating production
The inventory for the LCA resulted in the amount of construction materials added and removed during the renovation and maintenance (Table 3), the amount of energy required during the use of the building (Table 4), and the environmental impacts resulting from the processing outside the building site

Summary

Introduction

The building and construction sector is responsible for 40% of the energy consumption and 36% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the European Union [1]. With the ambition of reducing Sweden’s environmental footprint, the Swedish government set the objective of a 50% energy consumption reduction for its building stock by 2050 compared to 1995 [3]. This energy efficiency goal is combined with the overall aim to reach zero net GHG emissions by 2045. The national recommendation and regulations are strengthened to ensure a high energy efficiency of new buildings. As the replacement rate of the existing stock is slow, emphasis has been placed on developing and applying efficient strategies for energy renovation [4]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion