Abstract
Energy-efficient building retrofits must be approached from three perspectives: law regulation approach, financial incentives approach, and practice approach. The concepts of zero energy building and life cycle energy building are presented as the basis for energy retrofits. Multi-criteria boards to assess the decision-making process are reviewed, analysed, and categorised under an architectonic perspective. Some examples are presented, with different packages of measures, from deep to non-invasive energy retrofits. Passive and active energy generation systems, together with control and management strategies, are the physical elements identified with the potential to improve buildings’ energy efficiency. From a practice approach, this literature review identifies the concept of performance-based architectural design to optimise the planning and design of buildings’ energy retrofits. In addition, tools such as Building Information Modelling are described as part of optimisation processes, as they enable designers to rapidly analyse and simulate a building’s performance at the design stage.
Highlights
Buildings currently consume 40% of the total primary energy in the United States (U.S.) and in the European Union (E.U.) [1] and are responsible for 55% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [2]
The last one is a variation of the previously described life cycle approach, as it presents a fleet-based life cycle assessment applied to building stock, as it identified a gap in the connection between direct emissions in the operation stage and indirect emissions in the production, construction, and waste management phases [2]
Criteria building envelope optimised by external walls and roof reduced 72% energy saving on the heating and cooling loads energy efficiency; architectonic authenticity improve energy efficiency exterior walls improved; window replacement saved 770,392 tCO2 /year energy efficiency; architectonic authenticity
Summary
Buildings currently consume 40% of the total primary energy in the United States (U.S.) and in the European Union (E.U.) [1] and are responsible for 55% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [2]. “A LC-ZEB is defined here as a building whose primary energy use in operation plus the energy embedded in materials and systems over the life of the building is equal or less than the energy produced by renewable energy systems within the building.” [6] Under this perspective, the longer the life cycle of the building, the less carbon emissions will be released with efficient retrofits. This article will focus on the following research questions: Which criteria should be considered, from the point of view of the architect, when improving energy efficiency in building retrofits? The search terms were the concepts identified in the research: energy efficiency in building retrofits, active and passive energy-efficiency systems, life cycle assessment tools, life cycle assessment in building retrofits and optimisation processes, considering an architectonic perspective, both combined and isolated.
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