Towards Sustainability : Prioritizing Retrofit Options For Toronto's Single-Family Homes

10.32920/ryerson.14654754.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Katarzyna M. Blaszak

Keyword(s):

Housing Stock ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Weighting Factor ◽

Single Family ◽

Building Science ◽

Two Factors ◽

Operational Energy ◽

Summary Measures ◽

Existing Housing ◽

Research Analysis

This study investigates a preliminary retrofit ranking framework for single-family homes on the basis of net environmental effect. Four archetype homes developed to represent Toronto's existing housing stock were modeled using HOT2000 to calculate the operational energy requirements. The embodied effects of selected retrofits were then calculated using the ATHENA Impact estimator and a list of environmental summary measures produced. A method of combining operational and embodied effects based on these eight summary measures was proposed and the functioning and sensitivities of the equation were explored. The method is preliminary and incorporates two factors, a weighting factor and building science factor, that require further research. Analysis of the simultated results allowed generalizations about energy performance and prioritized retrofit recommendations for archetypes. In most retrofit cases operational energy dominates, however, the ranking equation shows the potential for certain conditions in which the embodied effects determine the ranking of a retrofit.

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Assessment of energy performance using bottom-up method

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation ◽

10.1108/ijbpa-11-2017-0056 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 192-216

Author(s):

Khadidja El-Bahdja Djebbar ◽

Souria Salem ◽

Abderrahmane Mokhtari

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Housing Stock ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Bottom Up ◽

Content Type ◽

Consumption Index ◽

Physical Information ◽

Thermal Simulations ◽

Existing Housing

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze energy performance of the multi-storey buildings built in the city of Tlemcen between 1872 and 2016. Design/methodology/approach A diagnosis based on a bottom-up methodology, using statistical techniques and engineering, has been developed and applied. To do this, demand condition analysis was conducted using a data collection survey on a sample of 100 case studies. Physical characteristics of the buildings have been determined through the archetype by period. This serves to define the strengths and weaknesses of buildings as energy consumers. Findings The obtained results showed that dwellings built between 1872 and 1920 offer better energy performance with a consumption index close to 130kWh/m2/year and this compared to the five periods considered. For dwellings built between 1974 and 1989, energy consumption is higher with an index approaching 300kWh/m2/year, thus qualifying the buildings of this period as energy intensive. Originality/value A database is established to collect physical information on the existing housing stock and thus allow their classification vis-à-vis of the energy label. This study is part of a research project aimed at evaluating and determining optimal measures for energy rehabilitation of multi-family buildings in Tlemcen. Thermal rehabilitation solutions are proposed using thermal simulations, in the following studies, to improve thermal performance of existing buildings. This study constitutes the first step of a roadmap applicable to other cities constituting climatic zones in Algeria. This helps to enrich the Algerian thermal regulation in thermal rehabilitation of existing residential buildings and conception of new ones, in urban areas with a similar climate.

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The Impact of Multi-Level Governance on Energy Performance in the Current Dutch Housing Stock

Energy & Environment ◽

10.1260/095830508785363587 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 19 (6) ◽

pp. 819-830 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Thomas Hoppe ◽

Kris Lulofs

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Institutional Environment ◽

Housing Stock ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Policy Goals ◽

Dutch Housing ◽

Multi Level ◽

Implementation Problems ◽

The Impact ◽

Existing Housing

The housing sector is responsible for 33% of total CO2 emissions in the Netherlands. As such, large reductions in CO2 emissions can be gained by increasing the energy performance in the existing housing stock. Yet, several barriers make this difficult. Renovation investments and maintenance costs are high while badly needed norms for energy improvement are absent. Furthermore, market developments and sectoral policies reflect a complex institutional environment in which many actors are interdependent, but also lack an individual sense of urgency regarding energy consumption. In this article, we try to determine how multi-level governance in Dutch housing affects the outcomes of policies aimed at CO2-reduction in the existing housing stock. We examined two housing sectors in the Netherlands: social housing and owner occupancy. We focus on policy implementation problems in the early 2000s. It turns out that the complex multilevel environment severely impedes the realization of ambitious policy goals.

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Rating existing housing stock for energy performance - development of an Australian national scheme

10.5130/ssep2016.518 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Timothy O’Leary ◽

◽

Martin Belusko ◽

Frank Bruno ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Housing Stock ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Performance Development ◽

Existing Housing

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Benchmarks for Embodied and Operational Energy Assessment of Hellenic Single-Family Houses

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13174384 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (17) ◽

pp. 4384

Author(s):

Elena G. Dascalaki ◽

Poulia A. Argiropoulou ◽

Constantinos A. Balaras ◽

Kalliopi G. Droutsa ◽

Simon Kontoyiannidis

Keyword(s):

Energy Use ◽

Energy Intensity ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Embodied Energy ◽

Single Family ◽

Zero Energy ◽

Relative Significance ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Operational Energy

Building energy performance benchmarking increases awareness and enables stakeholders to make better informed decisions for designing, operating, and renovating sustainable buildings. In the era of nearly zero energy buildings, the embodied energy along with operational energy use are essential for evaluating the environmental impacts and building performance throughout their lifecycle. Key metrics and baselines for the embodied energy intensity in representative Hellenic houses are presented in this paper. The method is set up to progressively cover all types of buildings. The lifecycle analysis was performed using the well-established SimaPro software package and the EcoInvent lifecycle inventory database, complemented with national data from short energy audits carried out in Greece. The operational energy intensity was estimated using the national calculation engine for assessing the building’s energy performance and the predictions were adapted to obtain more realistic estimates. The sensitivity analysis for different type of buildings considered 16 case studies, accounting for representative construction practices, locations (climate conditions), system efficiencies, renovation practices, and lifetime of buildings. The results were used to quantify the relative significance of operational and embodied energy, and to estimate the energy recovery time for popular energy conservation and energy efficiency measures. The derived indicators reaffirm the importance of embodied energy in construction materials and systems for new high performing buildings and for renovating existing buildings to nearly zero energy.

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Parameters that influence the probability on lower-than-expected energy savings - a pre- and post renovation energy consumption analysis of 90,000 renovated houses in the Netherlands

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/201911104025 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 111 ◽

pp. 04025

Author(s):

Paula van den Brom ◽

Arjen Meijer ◽

Henk Visscher

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Energy Savings ◽

Housing Stock ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Building Envelope ◽

Single Family ◽

Effective Measure ◽

Energy Efficient Buildings ◽

Actual Energy Consumption

Thermal renovations are considered to be an effective measure to reduce residential energy consumption. However, they often result in lower-than-expected energy savings. In this paper, we investigate some parameters that influence the probability on lower-than-expected energy savings. We do this by comparing actual pre- and post-renovation energy consumption of 90,000 houses in the Netherlands. The results of this study confirm that the effect of the parameters differ per renovation measure. For every renovation measure, the energy performance gap post renovation plays a significant role. This implies that the use of actual energy consumption data to determine the potential energy savings could therefore help to reduce the number of renovations resulting in lower-than-expected energy savings. Also, the energy efficiency state of the building pre-renovation plays an important role. One should take into account that renovations of energy inefficient buildings more frequently result in lower-than-expected energy savings than renovations of relatively energy efficient buildings. For the type of house we found that multifamily houses more often result in lower than expected savings when building installations are improved, while single-family houses renovations more frequently result in lower energy savings than expected when the building envelope insulation is improved. These insights can contribute to the decision making process whether or not to take a certain renovation measures, they can also help to manage expectations on housing stock level and individual building level.

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Consultancy Centres and Pop-Ups as Local Authority Policy Instruments to Stimulate Adoption of Energy Efficiency by Homeowners

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10082734 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 2734 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Frits Meijer ◽

Ad Straub ◽

Erwin Mlecnik

Keyword(s):

Energy Saving ◽

Business Models ◽

Housing Stock ◽

Policy Instruments ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Low Carbon ◽

Single Family ◽

Local Authorities ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Eu

The housing sector is responsible for a more than a quarter of the total final energy consumption in the EU. As the majority (70%) of the EU-housing stock is owner occupied and largely consists of single family dwellings it is understandable that many countries focus their energy saving policies on homeowners. Complementary to the national policy frameworks, regional and local authorities implement locally based policy instruments targeting specific groups and individual homeowners. In order to enlarge the effectiveness of their policy instruments and to reach the energy saving goals, frontrunner local authorities in particular are searching for ways to reach homeowners. Consultancy centres and pop-ups can be a way to make individual homeowners more aware about their energy use and stimulate them to apply low carbon technologies. The research results not only show that a wide range of business models are available to develop, structure and organise these consultation centres and pop-ups, but also that they indeed could play an important role in accelerating the energy performance of owner occupied housing. Through a pop-up or consultancy centre, public and private parties can join their forces to reach, stimulate and support the individual needs and wishes of homeowners during their customer journey to realise an energy efficient dwelling.

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Operating energy demand of various residential building typologies in different European climates

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment ◽

10.1108/sasbe-08-2017-0035 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (3/4) ◽

pp. 226-250 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Brian Cody ◽

Wolfgang Loeschnig ◽

Alexander Eberl

Keyword(s):

Energy Demand ◽

Energy Production ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Electricity Production ◽

Single Family ◽

Content Type ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Apartment Buildings ◽

Operational Energy ◽

Family Home

Purpose The work described below compares three very different residential typologies in terms of their energy performance in operation. The purpose of this paper is to identify the influence of building typologies and corresponding urban morphologies on operational energy demand and the potential for building integrated energy production. Design/methodology/approach Two of the typologies studied are apartment buildings while the third comprises single-family homes located on small plots. An important factor under consideration is the insertion into the respective urban design configuration so that mutual shading of the buildings and the ensuing impact on energy performance is evaluated. Heating and cooling demands, as well as the potential for building-integrated electricity production were investigated for four different European climates in a dynamic thermal simulation environment. Findings The results show that the investigated apartment buildings have a lower operational energy demand than the single-family home in all climates. This advantage is most pronounced in cool climate conditions. At the same time the investigated single-family home has the highest potential for building integrated renewable energy production in all climates. This advantage is most pronounced in low latitudes. Originality/value The study builds up on generic buildings that are based on a common urban grid and are easily comparable and scalable into whole city districts. Still, these buildings are planned into such detail, that they provide fully functional floor plans and comply with national building regulations. This approach allows us to draw conclusions on the scale of individual buildings and at an urban scale at the same time.

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Optimization of Building Envelope Components Based on Life Cycle Environmental Impacts and Costs

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.899.93 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 899 ◽

pp. 93-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Péter Medgyasszay ◽

Zsuzsa Szalay

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Life Cycle Cost ◽

Building Materials ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Building Envelope ◽

Environmental Indicators ◽

Single Family ◽

Operational Energy

Recent national and international building regulations on the energy performance of buildings focus mainly on the reduction of operational energy. This can be achieved by increasing the energy efficiency of the building, installing highly efficient building service systems and applying renewable energy sources. However, these measures have a price in terms of investment costs, and also in terms of environmental impacts. The life-cycle of building materials, building constructions or whole buildings from cradle to grave can be assessed using the method of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost analysis (LCC). These tools take into account not only the heating energy saving due to additional insulation, but also the embodied environmental impacts and costs of the investment. In this paper, the optimum thickness of various insulation materials, including natural and recycled materials is examined considering three main environmental indicators and global costs. The analysis is performed for a typical Hungarian single-family house subject to retrofit.

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