scholarly journals Decarbonising real estate

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-408
Author(s):  
Sara Jane Wilkinson ◽  
Sarah Sayce
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Residential Property ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose About 27 per cent of the total UK carbon emissions are attributed to residential buildings; therefore, improvements to the energy efficiency of the stock offers great potential. There are three main ways to achieve this. First is a mandatory approach, minimum energy efficiency standards are set and applied to new and existing buildings. Option 2 is voluntary, using energy ratings that classify performance to stimulate awareness and action. Third, financial measures, incentives and taxes, are applied to “nudge” behaviours. Most westernised countries have adopted a combination of Options 2 and 3, with the belief that the market will incentivize efficient properties. The belief is voluntary measures will stimulate demand, leading to value premiums. This paper aims to seek a deeper understanding of the relationship between energy efficiency and the value of residential property in Europe and, by so doing, to determine whether stronger policies are required to realise decarbonisation. Design/methodology/approach This paper reviews the current academic literature and large-scale quantitative studies conducted in Europe, mostly using hedonic pricing analysis to seek a relationship between energy performance certificates (EPCs) and either capital or rental values. It compares these to the reported findings of three case study projects that take a variety of different research approaches, all of which have the ambition to understand market behaviours and stimulate occupier or/and owner demand for energy efficient buildings. Findings The large-scale academic study results generally show a positive relationship between observed market prices and EPCs, which are commonly taken as surrogates for efficiency; however, outcomes are variable. One large study found energy upgrades may increase value, but not to the point where costs outweigh the value gain. Other studies found high returns on investment in energy efficiency technologies. The case study projects, however, revealed a more nuanced set of arguments in terms of the relationship between energy efficiency and market behaviours. Whilst there is some evidence that energy efficiency is beginning to impact on value, it is small compared to other value drivers; other drivers, including health, well-being and private sector finance deals, may prove more powerful market drivers. Further, the empirical findings reported point towards the emergence of a “brown” discount being more likely to be the long-term trend than a green premium. It is concluded that the current levels of action are unlikely to deliver the levels of decarbonisation urgently needed. Research limitations/implications This is a desktop study of other European studies that may have collected data on slightly different variables. Practical implications This study shows that more action is required to realise decarbonisation in new and existing residential property in the European states considered. The sector offers potential for substantial reductions, and other mandatory approaches need to be considered. Originality/value This is a timely review of the current outcomes of European programmes (EPCs) adopted in several countries to increase energy efficiency in the residential sector through a voluntary mechanism. The results show that more action is needed.

scholarly journals Integrating GIS-Based Point of Interest and Community Boundary Datasets for Urban Building Energy Modeling

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1049
Author(s):  
Zhang Deng ◽  
Yixing Chen ◽  
Xiao Pan ◽  
Zhiwen Peng ◽  
Jingjing Yang
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Energy Modeling ◽  
Office Buildings ◽  
Building Energy Modeling ◽  
Downtown Area ◽  
Point Of Interest

Urban building energy modeling (UBEM) is arousing interest in building energy modeling, which requires a large building dataset as an input. Building use is a critical parameter to infer archetype buildings for UBEM. This paper presented a case study to determine building use for city-scale buildings by integrating the Geographic Information System (GIS) based point-of-interest (POI) and community boundary datasets. A total of 68,966 building footprints, 281,767 POI data, and 3367 community boundaries were collected for Changsha, China. The primary building use was determined when a building was inside a community boundary (i.e., hospital or residential boundary) or the building contained POI data with main attributes (i.e., hotel or office building). Clustering analysis was used to divide buildings into sub-types for better energy performance evaluation. The method successfully identified building uses for 47,428 buildings among 68,966 building footprints, including 34,401 residential buildings, 1039 office buildings, 141 shopping malls, and 932 hotels. A validation process was carried out for 7895 buildings in the downtown area, which showed an overall accuracy rate of 86%. A UBEM case study for 243 office buildings in the downtown area was developed with the information identified from the POI and community boundary datasets. The proposed building use determination method can be easily applied to other cities. We will integrate the historical aerial imagery to determine the year of construction for a large scale of buildings in the future.

The energy efficiency and carbon footprint of temporary homes: a case study from Japan

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 326-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matti Kuittinen ◽  
Atsushi Takano
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Tohoku Earthquake ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Proper Design

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the energy efficiency and life cycle carbon footprint of temporary homes in Japan after the Great Eastern Tohoku Earthquake in 2011. Design/methodology/approach An energy simulation and life cycle assessment have been done for three alternative shelter models: prefabricated shelters, wooden log shelters and sea container shelters. Findings Shelter materials have a very high share of life cycle emissions because the use period of temporary homes is short. Wooden shelters perform best in the comparison. The clustering of shelters into longer buildings or on top of each other increases their energy efficiency considerably. Sea containers piled on top of each other have superb energy performance compared to other models, and they consume even less energy per household than the national average. However, there are several gaps of knowledge in the environmental assessment of temporary homes and field data from refugee camps should be collected as part of camp management. Originality/value The findings exemplify the impacts of the proper design of temporary homes for mitigating their energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions.

scholarly journals The Effect of Building Aspect Ratio on Energy Efficiency: A Case Study for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings in Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip McKeen ◽  
Alan S. Fung
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Aspect Ratio ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Building Area ◽  
The Relationship

This paper examines the energy consumption of varying aspect ratio in multi-unit residential buildings in Canadian cities. The aspect ratio of a building is one of the most important determinants of energy efficiency. It defines the building surface area by which heat is transferred between the interior and exterior environment. It also defines the amount of building area that is subject to solar gain. The extent to which this can be beneficial or detrimental depends on the aspect ratio and climate. This paper evaluates the relationship between the geometry of buildings and location to identify a design vernacular for energy-efficient designs across Canada.

scholarly journals The impact of dwelling renovation on spatial quality

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 268-309
Author(s):  
Fernanda Acre ◽  
Annemie Wyckmans
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Urban Life ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency ◽  
Spatial Quality ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Non-technical dimensions such as spatial quality are just as relevant for energy efficiency as technical and economic dimensions in the renovation of dwellings. However, the significance of non-technical dimensions is often neglected in the energy renovation of dwellings. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how the renovation of dwellings for energy efficiency influences spatial quality in the MS-1 building in the neighbourhood of Arlequin, Grenoble, France. The Arlequin case study is part of the ZenN project, nearly zero energy neighbourhoods, funded by the European 7th Framework Programme (Grant Agreement No. 314363). Design/methodology/approach – The impact of the renovation on spatial quality is analysed by crossing technical measures, applied in the energy renovation of dwellings with the definition of spatial quality proposed by Acre and Wyckmans (2014). The spatial quality definition results from a literature review on quality of design and urban life, wherein works of Weber (1995) and Gehl (2010, 2011) are related to the residential use in the scales of the building and block. The impact of renovation on spatial quality is further evaluated by using the spatial quality assessment developed by Acre and Wyckmans (2015). The impact on spatial quality is observed by considering all the renovation measures, instead of only considering the measures primarily related to energy performance. This emphasises the need for a cross-disciplinary approach between technical and non-technical dimensions in the energy renovation of dwellings. Findings – The results display both negative and positive impacts of the energy renovation on spatial quality in the dwellings and emphasise the potential of non-technical dimensions in promoting renovation. The impact on spatial quality is primarily negative when only measures adopted in order to improve energy efficiency are considered in the evaluation. Originality/value – This paper consists of a novel crossing of technical and non-technical dimensions in energy renovation of dwellings. The work aligns with the current European trend of nurturing energy-deep renovation to reach Europe’s 2050 energy-efficiency targets (Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) 2011).

Modelling the effect of energy performance certificate rating on property value in the Belfast housing market

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 292-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peadar T Davis ◽  
John A McCord ◽  
Michael McCord ◽  
Martin Haran
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Housing Market ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Hedonic Pricing ◽  
Property Value ◽  
Sale Price ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the relationship between energy performance and property sale price in the Belfast housing market. How energy efficiency is contributes to sale price and thus appraisal value is of growing concern. The obligatory measurement of energy efficiency in private dwellings seeks to encourage improvements in energy performance. This may be capitalised into property value and may stimulate demand for energy-efficient buildings. However, the relationship between energy performance and property value remains nebulous, complex and under-researched – in part due to data limitations. Design/methodology/approach – Using a hedonic pricing specification, this paper measures the effect of energy performance certificates (EPCs) on residential property value. It examines the relationship between 3,797 residential sales transactions across the Belfast housing market, showing the percentage effect on property value with respect to energy performance. Findings – The results indicate a small but positive relationship between better energy performance and higher selling prices. Nonetheless, the findings point towards strong preference, demand tastes and a complex intra-relationship between EPCs and their capitalisation into property value. Pertinently, the findings point towards any energy-efficient-related price effect affect to be marginal alongside more “quality”-based market behaviours. Research limitations/implications – Analogous with other studies, data deficiencies and a lack of incorporating price determining variables (missing determinants) such as heating type and glazing type introduces omitted variable bias and endogeneity problems within the model structure. Originality/value – This paper contributes to emerging literature and policy debate surrounding the measurement and implementation of energy-efficiency certification through a greater understanding of energy performance characteristics in determining property value.

Workspace design and fit-out: what knowledge workers value

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 415-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raewyn Hills ◽  
Deborah Levy
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Knowledge Worker ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Shared Space ◽  
Workplace Setting ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Workspace Design

Purpose – Organisations use “space” to support the profitability of their business. The workplace and the space that organisations occupy is continuously evolving and transforming. There has been a general trend globally to provide less assigned space and more shared space for employees at higher occupational density. Studies have shown that the workplace setting can contribute to an employee's sense of well-being and increased productivity. The purpose of this paper is to permit a deeper understanding as to how knowledge workers evaluate their workspace within this changing environment. Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes an integrated conceptual framework developed from a range of literature within the disciplines of property, psychology and facilities management. In order to investigate the pertinence of this framework a case study is undertaken comprising five one-to-one in-depth interviews with knowledge workers from an organisation that had recently relocated. The key changes between the original and newer premises in terms of space usage were the move from a more traditional layout incorporating larger desk space and eye-level partitioning to one incorporating a fit-out providing for a higher occupational density and a wider range of communal spaces. Findings – The findings identify a number of evaluative criteria including workability, comfort, occupational density, the need for privacy, control over the environment, adjacency to colleagues and functionality, all previously identified in the literature. A further two criteria, location and customisability were also identified. Research limitations/implications – The study although incorporating a wide ranging literature review concentrates on employees within one company and given the makeup of employees the interviewees were all male thus not able to pick up gender differences. Practical implications – The study provides stakeholders such as organisations, workplace consultants and design professionals with information about what knowledge workers value most in their workplace environment. Originality/value – Most extant literature investigating the link between employees and their workplace has focused on specific aspects of the relationship. This research contributes to understanding workplace by taking an overall perspective and providing knowledge worker employees with an opportunity to compare two distinct workplace settings.

Evaluation of Energy Efficiency in Retrofitting Residential Buildings with Large-Panel Structures

2014 ◽  
Vol 899 ◽  
pp. 24-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuel Megyesi ◽  
Mariana Brumaru
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Calculation Methods ◽  
East European ◽  
Large Panel ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Reduction Of Co2 ◽  
The Eu

Modular blocks of flats built with large prefabricated panels have become widespread in most of central and East-European countries particularly in the 80es, populating large-scale neighbourhoods. In Romania are representing about 37% of the total fund of apartment blocks, being present in most of the cities. The high percentage of thermal bridges and reduced design thermal resistance of the envelope make these buildings a priority in thermal retrofitting. Using up-to-date calculation methods, the paper presents a thorough analysis of the energy performance of large-panel residential buildings (apartment blocks) before and after renovation. The conclusions are focused on the practical measures to be undertaken for bringing the energy efficiency after retrofitting at the highest possible degree, thus meeting the requirements of the EU legislation and the targets set in the field of energy performance and reduction of CO2 emissions.

scholarly journals Effect of Glazed Loggias on the Energy Efficiency of a T08b Prefabricated Dwelling – A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 41-50
Author(s):  
Roman Ruhig ◽  
Ema Ruhigová
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
The 1950S

Abstract The topic focuses on current solutions of interspaces in the renovation and modernization of residential buildings, the design of which is conditioned by the principles of sustainable development and construction. It concerns the integration of closed interspaces in renovated buildings from the 1950s to the 1980s. One example is the frequent glazing of loggias/balconies in original panel construction. The form of glazing of loggias and balconies is not regulated and is chosen by the apartment owners. For these reasons, the integration of interspaces in renovated buildings should be supported by research that will bring new insights about their effect on assessments of the energy performance of residential buildings and their effect on the architectural expression of facades. The paper compares alternatives for the integration of interspaces with an emphasis on the efferc of their orientation. The research should serve to help regulate the glazing of loggias in residential panel buildings.

scholarly journals Energy performance certificates and house prices: a quantile regression approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael McCord ◽  
Martin Haran ◽  
Peadar Davis ◽  
John McCord
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Quantile Regression ◽  
House Prices ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conditional Mean ◽  
Price Distribution ◽  
Regression Approach ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose A number of studies have investigated the relationship between energy performance certificates (EPCs) and house prices. A majority of studies have tended to model energy performance pricing effects within a traditional hedonic conditional mean estimate model. There has been limited analysis that has accounted for the relationship between EPCs and the effects across the pricing distribution. Moreover, there has been limited research examining the “standard cost improvements EPC score”, or “potential score”. Therefore, this paper aims to quantify and measure the dynamic effects of EPCs on house prices across the price spectrum and account for standardised cost-effective retrofit improvements. Design/methodology/approach Existing EPC studies produce one coefficient for the entirety of the pricing distribution, culminating in a single marginal implicit price effect. The approach within this study applies a quantile regression approach to empirically estimate how quantiles of house prices respond differently to unitary changes in the proximal effects of EPCs and structural property characteristics across the conditional distribution of house prices. Using a data set of 1,476 achieved transaction prices, the quantile regression models apply both assessed EPC score and bands and further examine the potential EPC rating for improved energy performance based on an average energy cost improvement. Findings The findings show that EPCs are valued differently across the quantiles and that conditional quantiles are asymmetrical. Only property prices in the upper quantiles of the price distribution show significant capitalisation effects with energy performance, and only properties with higher EPC scores display positive significant effects at the higher end of the price distribution. There are also brown discount effects evident for lower-rated properties within F- and G-rated EPC properties at the higher end of the pricing distribution. Moreover, the potential energy efficiency rating (score) also shows increased effects with sales prices and appears to minimise any brown discount effects. The findings imply that energy performance is a complex feature that is not easily “averaged” for valuation effect purposes. Originality/value While numerous studies have investigated the pricing effects of EPCs, they have tended to provide a single estimate to determine the relationship with price. This paper extends the traditional analytical insights beyond the conditional mean estimate by examining the quantiles of the relationship between EPCs and house prices to enhance the understanding of this esoteric and complex issue. In addition, this research applies the assessed energy efficiency potential to establish whether effective cost improvements enhance the relationship with sales price and capitalisation effects.

scholarly journals Case study: A survey of perceived noise in Canadian multi-unit residential buildings to study long-term implications for widespread teleworking

2021 ◽  
pp. 1351010X2199374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maedot S. Andargie ◽  
Marianne Touchie ◽  
William O’Brien
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ability To Work ◽  
Noise Sources ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
Research Opportunity

Trends of urbanization, densification, and telework all point to increasing exposure to ambient noise for workers. With the lockdown policies implemented in response to COVID-19, a research opportunity to study perceived noise exposure for teleworking arose. This paper presents the results of a survey on noise issues in multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) and the consequent effects on occupants' well-being and productivity during the lockdown. Responses were collected from 471 MURB occupants across Canada. The results show that, despite the decrease in environmental noise, many are annoyed by outdoor noise, particularly from traffic and construction activities, and indicated that it affects their ability to work. Effects on ability to work from home were more frequently reported for indoor noise sources particularly airborne and impact noises coming from neighboring suites. Our findings, however, show that noise coming from occupants in the same suite (i.e. roommates and family) present the biggest issue. The findings indicate that existing noise conditions in MURBs might not be suitable for a permanent large-scale implementation of teleworking.

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