Abstract
Building performance improvement through low-energy renovation traditionally involves building performance diagnostics of the existing building, technology evaluation, selection and implementation. Effective building performance diagnostics, post-retrofit assessment and user engagement are essential to deliver performance as well as achieving socio-economic and environmental benefits at every stage of the renovation project life cycle. User’s views are often ignored when renovating a building, causing sub-optimal energy performance, user comfort and wellbeing. This paper seeks to critically evaluate the low-energy renovation process and the role of user and stakeholder engagement in the strategic implementation of low-energy retrofit technologies for performance improvement of higher education buildings. The research focuses on renovation methodology, innovative materials/systems and end-user engagement throughout the renovation project phases (pre-renovation, the renovation process and post renovation). A mixed research method was adopted, which includes building performance modelling, monitoring and user evaluation questionnaires pre and post-renovation. The research is part of European Union (EU)-funded project, targeting 50% reduction in energy consumption using innovative materials and technologies in existing public buildings. The surveys allow comparative analysis of comfort levels and user satisfaction as an indicator of the efficacy of renovation measures. A new renovation process and user engagement framework was developed. The findings suggest that there is a direct relationship between retrofit intervention, improving energy performance of low-carbon buildings and the comfort of occupants. The technologies and strategies also appear to have different impacts on user satisfaction.
Highlights
The function of buildings is to provide a comfortable internal environment that meets occupant satisfaction and wellbeing with optimum use of energy
The innovative retrofit technologies include those that have been technically advanced, adapted, within the project; this includes aerogel-based insulating mortar, vacuum-insulated panels, ventilated façade and PCM seasonal thermal energy storage. These new technologies have been combined with other market ready technologies, such as Solar photovoltaics (PV), Electrochromic (EC) windows, light-emitting diode (LED) lights and Expanded Polystyrene with Graphite (EPS-G) insulation panels
The low-carbon technologies implemented in Richard Crossman (RC) and John Laing Building (JL) buildings have been summarised in Table 4, which includes LED lighting, solar photovoltaic panels, a building management system (BMS), double-glazed windows and thermal insulation for RC building; whereas for JL building, a range of fabric state-of-the-art technologies are included, such as aerogel-based mortar, vacuum-insulated panels, ventilated façade, EPA-G panels and passive PCM tube
Summary
The function of buildings is to provide a comfortable internal environment that meets occupant satisfaction and wellbeing with optimum use of energy. Other researchers have proposed similar approaches, such as Piaia et al [14], who have developed a procedure for deep renovation consisting on four stages (4M): mapping, modelling, making and monitoring Each of these stages will only succeed with the support and engagement of key stakeholders, relative to their feedback and insights, that will ensure successful evaluation and implementation of the renovation measures. This is arguably one of the most important elements for reducing performance and gap and unintended consequences of low-energy renovation
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