scholarly journals Beyond Cultural and Historic Values, Sustainability as a New Kind of Value for Historic Buildings

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8248
Author(s):  
Belén Onecha ◽  
Alicia Dotor ◽  
Carlos Marmolejo-Duarte
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Cultural Value ◽  
Building Performance ◽  
Energy Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Heritage Buildings ◽  
Strict Compliance ◽  
Palma De Mallorca ◽  
Definition Of

In attempts to improve the energy efficiency of protected historical buildings, two barriers arise. The first is the restrictions imposed by authorities that are responsible for cultural heritage preservation. The second is the exclusion of protected buildings from strict compliance with energy efficiency requirements in current regulations, such as the issue of an Energy Performance Certificate, which removes them from conventional channels of public policies. Both of these issues put heritage in a delicate situation, especially when they are intended for privately developed residential uses. This paper presents a methodology for assessing and establishing a trade-off between energy performance and the cultural value of heritage buildings through the comprehensive analysis of a case study: the retrofitting of Can Armengol Palace in Palma de Mallorca (Spain). The study revealed (1) the need to objectify the cultural values of the building as far as possible to identify conflicts with the strategies of energy efficiency improvement; and (2) the appropriateness of considering every aspect of a rehabilitation intervention in a global simultaneous approach, not just energy aspects. The method that was used had five steps: acquiring a deep knowledge of the building configuration, assessing the building performance for every legal requirement, identifying cultural values, defining intervention criteria, and analyzing intervention effects on the protected elements of the building. The most important contribution in this study is the detailed and extended definition of architectural heritage values and the consideration of interventions resulting from sustainability retrofits as a new kind of value, that reflects current worries, for which future generations will remember us.

scholarly journals Assessments on Sustainability Potential by Upgrade of Existing Heritage Buildings: a case study of Liyuan Courtyard in Qingdao, China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Huang ◽  
Yufan Xiao ◽  
Fan Yu
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Performance ◽  
Performance Simulation ◽  
Building Performance Simulation ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Energy Behavior ◽  
Heritage Buildings ◽  
Heritage Building

Abstract Background: The existing heritage buildings are considered as symbols of the original spirit of a city, which also contains vitality and resilience through centuries. In Qingdao, the Liyuan courtyard styles are still existed as a very regional and representative colonial residential architecture form in the urban development history from 1900s in this city. Method: The research here made the hypotheses of the heritage buildings can regain its authentic appearance while achieve energy efficiency in building performance through optimization and renovation strategies. The sustainability potentials assessment is discussed and evaluated with field investigation in a Liyuan building case study by on-site observation and building performance simulation analysis of two renovation options.Result and Discussion: One model with façade supplemented in the insulation layers in the envelope walls and another model with further upgrade with consideration of recycling materials mixed were discussed and estimated with building performance simulation method. Both scenarios improved the energy efficiency, while the advanced model could achieve better result in the building energy behavior dramatically.Conclusion: This research paper verified the hypotheses of sustainability embodied in Liyuan buildings. It also confirmed the vitality and resilience could be regained through history with considerable and reasonable guideline in strategy together with personal alternatives. Technologies innovation helps to improve their energy performance by reducing consumption or self-supplying on the existing buildings renovation actions. Every specific choices of renovation action could achieve low energy goals and impose optional positive effects on the behavior of the living comfort preference. Multicriteria considerations might influence the balanced between different factors when making decisions in the heritage building restoration and it is expected to empower the fresh glory in the development of heritage building protection and restoration.

scholarly journals Water Extraction from Air: A Proposal for a New Indicator to Compare Air Water Generators Efficiency

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 224
Author(s):  
Lucia Cattani ◽  
Anna Magrini ◽  
Paolo Cattani
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Specific Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Water Extraction ◽  
Coefficient Of Performance ◽  
Efficiency Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
Cycle Systems ◽  
Definition Of

Water extraction from air, based on reverse cycle systems, is becoming a technology more and more diffused and various models of air to water generators (AWG) are now available, all claiming the best efficiency. To date, there is not a standard indicator stating energy efficiency for AWGs, neither in the literature nor in technical practice. The only evaluation parameter, that can be found is a sort of specific energy consumption (SEC) without any clear indications about the involved calculation terms, definition of hypotheses, or environmental conditions. The current work is a first proposal of an indicator to standardise the AWG efficiency evaluation. The indicator is called WET (Water Energy Transformation); it states water production as a useful effect of an AWG machine and calculates its energy performance with an approach similar to COP (Coefficient of Performance) and EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) evaluation. The indicator is meant to be a normalised tool that permits comparing different AWG machines, but it is also the first part of a wider study, currently under development that is oriented to obtain a global index formulation that combines WET itself, EER and COP, and it is intended for a comprehensive evaluation of all the useful effects of a reverse cycle in integrated machines, in compliance with the current efficiency evaluation approach. The current paper presents the WET equation, with a discussion about involved terms, a set of normalised calculation conditions and some application examples, including a comparison with SEC.

scholarly journals Economic assessment of energy efficiency investments in dwellings = Evaluación económica de inversiones de eficiencia energética en viviendas

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hector Hernández
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Economic Modelling ◽  
Evaluación Económica ◽  
Energy Performance Of Buildings ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Definition Of

In order to improve the energy performance of buildings, the need to value economically investments of energy efficiency associated with the rehabilitation of dwellings arises. This point of view provides an useful tool for analysts who start in the economic appraisal of energy efficiency investments. The present research gives a conceptual framework for the economic assessment of these types of investments in dwellings. As a result, it is possible to identify two techniques in the appraisals of this nature: dynamic and static approaches. Both methods contrast the benefits (energy savings) with the costs of investments over time. However, they differentiate the opportunity and the moment when investment must be carried out given an uncertainty scenario. This conceptual precision allows the study of several publications where different alternatives in retrofitting houses where evaluated, confirming the considerations that must be taken into account when economic modelling is made: the type of approach to be used (dynamic or static) and; at the definition of the investment alternatives and scenarios, the aspects of time, irrevocability and uncertainty.ResumenEn pro de la mejora del desempeño energético de los edificios, surge la necesidad de evaluar económicamente las inversiones de eficiencia energética asociadas a la rehabilitación de viviendas. Este punto de vista trata de ser una herramienta útil para analistas que se inicien en la evaluación económica de inversiones en eficiencia energética. La presente investigación muestra un marco conceptual de la evaluación económica de este tipo de inversiones en viviendas. Como resultado, es posible identificar dos enfoques presentes en los análisis económicos de esta naturaleza: el dinámico y el estático. Ambos métodos contrastan los beneficios (ahorros energéticos) con los costes de las inversiones en el tiempo. Sin embargo, diferencian la oportunidad y el momento en que la inversión debe realizarse dado un escenario de incertidumbre. Esta precisión conceptual permite estudiar varias publicaciones donde se evaluaron diferentes alternativas de reacondicionamiento en viviendas, confirmándose las consideraciones que deben tenerse presentes en momento de realizar la modelación económica: el tipo de enfoque a usar (dinámico o estático) y, en la definición de las alternativas de inversión y escenarios, los aspectos de tiempo, irrevocabilidad e incertidumbre.

Towards Net-Zero Energy Buildings: A Case Study in Humid Subtropical Climate

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Owen Betharte ◽  
Hamidreza Najafi ◽  
Troy Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Subtropical Climate ◽  
Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Energy Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Net Zero Energy ◽  
Net Zero

The growing world-wide energy demand and environmental considerations have attracted immense attention in building energy efficiency. Climate zone plays a major role in the process of decision making for energy efficiency projects. In the present paper, an office building located in Melbourne, FL is considered. The building is built in 1961 and the goal is to identify and prioritize the potential energy saving opportunities and retrofit the existing building into a Net-Zero Energy Building (NZEB). An energy assessment is performed and a baseline model is developed using eQUEST to simulate the energy performance of the building. Several possible energy efficiency improvement scenarios are considered and assessed through simulation including improving insulation on the walls and roof, replacing HVAC units and upgrade their control strategies, use of high efficiency lighting, and more. Selected energy efficiency improvement recommendations are implemented on the building model to achieve the lowest energy consumption. It is considered that photovoltaic (PV) panels will be used to supply the energy demand of the building. Simulations are also performed to determine the number of required PV panels and associated cost of the system is estimated. The results from this paper can help with the decision making regarding retrofit projects for NZEB in humid subtropical climate.

Evaluation of Energy Efficiency Improvement Program for Rental Homes

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Herrmann ◽  
Moncef Krarti
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Improvement Program ◽  
Green House ◽  
Energy Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Green House Gas ◽  
Efficiency Measures ◽  
Residential Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Audits ◽  
The City

Recently, the city of Boulder, CO has recently approved mandatory energy efficiency standard, called SmartRegs Program, for rental properties. Improving residential energy efficiency is a goal of the city as they strive to meet the green house gas reduction targets of the Kyoto Protocol. However, energy efficiency is typically not implemented in rental units because of a split incentive between landlords and tenants. This paper evaluates the various retrofit measures that improve rental homes energy efficiency as well as the effectiveness of SmartRegs Program. First, various energy efficiency measures are evaluated through walk-through and detailed energy audits to assess their effectiveness in improving the energy performance of rental homes. Based on the results of the energy audits and survey of various stake holders, a set of recommendations have been defined to ensure that the SmartRegs program be successfully implemented in order to improve the overall performance and quality of rental homes. Moreover, it is found that energy efficient can increase the thermal comfort levels and decrease the energy costs for tenants, increase the value of the property for landlords, and help the city meet their green house gas reduction goals.

scholarly journals Energy efficiency in buildings research perspectives and trends

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (Suppl. 4) ◽  
pp. 971-976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Corrado
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Building Performance ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Energy Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Research Perspectives ◽  
Building Process ◽  
Energy Environment ◽  
International Experts ◽  
Building Level

The 1st International Conference on Buildings, Energy, Systems, and Technology (BEST 2016), was held in Belgrade, Serbia, on November 2-4,2016. This conference was an opportunity to bring together experts with different skills around the theme of building performance. It covered different aspects (technology, energy, environment, and economy), different scales (from the urban to the building level, including the built environment up to the single technical building systems), and different phases of the building process (from urban planning to building design, up to construction and management). This Special issue contains extended versions of some selected papers presented at BEST 2016, which went through a blind peer review of international experts. The present Editorial introduces the topics of the BEST 2016 and the contents of this Special issue. The focus of the Editorial is the theme of energy efficiency improvement in buildings; it provides an overview of state-of-the-art and of the legislation framework, and a discussion on research perspectives and trends.

scholarly journals When Performance Informs Design

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Stannard ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Feedback Loop ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Performance ◽  
Architectural Practice ◽  
Simulation Tools ◽  
Occupant Comfort ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Code Compliance

It is clear that building energy performance plays an essential role in architecture and in architectural practice, not only for reasons of occupant comfort and energy efficiency but also for minimal code compliance. While achieving energy compliance is essential and even laudable, our current definition of “building performance” is somewhat limited. Energy performance analyses are often performed solely for code compliance with a minimal feedback loop during the design process. In the instances when analyses are completed as part of design, a growing array of simulation tools allow designers to make more informed decisions during the design process. There is tremendous potential in this trajectory.

scholarly journals Measures to Achieve the Energy Efficiency Improvement Targets in the Multi-Apartment Residential Sector

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 40-52
Author(s):  
M. Upitis ◽  
I. Amolina ◽  
I. Geipele ◽  
N. Zeltins
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Structural Funds ◽  
Energy Management Systems ◽  
Energy Efficiency Improvement

AbstractDirective (EU) 2018/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency sets a target of 32.5 % energy efficiency to be achieved by 2030, with a possible upward revision in 2023. The directive also stipulates that the obligation to achieve annual energy savings must continue to be met after 2020. In addition, a revised directive on the energy performance of buildings was adopted in May 2018. It includes measures to speed up the renovation of buildings and the transition to more energy-efficient systems, as well as to improve the energy efficiency of new buildings, thus using smart energy management systems [1].Buildings consume the most energy and have the greatest energy saving potential. They are therefore crucial to achieving the European Union’s energy saving targets. The EU allocated around 14 billion EUR to improve the energy efficiency of buildings in the period of 2014–2020, of which 4.6 billion EUR was intended for residential buildings. In addition, the Member States have earmarked 5.4 billion EUR of public co-financing for the improvement of all types of buildings, of which around 2 billion EUR is allocated to residential buildings.Multi-apartment residential buildings in Latvia are in a technically unsatisfactory condition. In Latvia, the service life of multi-apartment residential buildings has been artificially extended. In addition, there is also the problem of reduced construction quality. Housing problems affect all layers of society, but they are most acute for low- and middle-income people.The aim of the research is to study, using the co-financing of the European Union Structural Funds, the activities performed during the renovation process of multi-apartment residential buildings in Latvia and to identify the shortcomings.

scholarly journals Comprehensive Energy Renovation of Two Danish Heritage Buildings within IEA SHC Task 59

Heritage ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 2746-2762
Author(s):  
Jørgen Rose ◽  
Kirsten Engelund Thomsen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Indoor Climate ◽  
Historical Building ◽  
Efficiency Measures ◽  
Heritage Buildings ◽  
High Level

Historic and heritage buildings present a significant challenge when it comes to reducing energy consumption to mitigate climate change. These buildings need careful renovation, and increasing their energy efficiency is often associated with a high level of complexity, because consideration for heritage values can often reduce and impede possibilities and sometimes even rule out certain improvements completely. Despite these issues, many such renovation projects have already been carried out, and therefore the IEA SHC Task 59 project (Renovating Historic Buildings Towards Zero Energy) in cooperation with Interreg Alpine Space ATLAS has developed a tool for sharing these best-practice examples—the HiBERatlas (Historical Building Energy Retrofit Atlas). The Internet serves as a best-practice database for both individual energy efficiency measures and whole-building renovation projects. This paper presents two of the Danish projects featured in HiBERatlas. The first project, Ryesgade 30, is a Copenhagen apartment building with a preservation-worthy period brick façade. The second project is the Osram Building, a listed Copenhagen office building from 1959 with a protected façade, which today acts as a culture centre. Both renovation projects achieved significant energy savings and consequently CO2-emission reductions, and the indoor climate in both buildings have also improved significantly. Furthermore, a detailed analysis was carried out regarding possible window solutions and ventilation systems in Ryesgade 30, and for the Osram Building regarding daylighting technologies. This paper investigates the two renovation cases through the available measurement and calculation results before and after renovations and demonstrates that it is possible to reduce energy consumption significantly and at the same time improve the indoor climate without compromising the cultural values of buildings.

Energy Performance Benchmarking of Process Refrigeration Units

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saqib Sajjad ◽  
Haseeb Ali
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Coefficient Of Performance ◽  
Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Performance Benchmarking ◽  
Energy Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Detailed Assessment ◽  
High Level

Abstract Process refrigeration units are one of the major energy consumers at gas processing plants. Owing to the higher energy consumption, evaluation and benchmarking of energy performance of the refrigeration units is very important for identification of energy saving opportunities. In this regard, an energy performance benchmarking study was performed by detailed assessment and evaluation of the existing process refrigeration units to identify potential of energy efficiency improvement. The study encompassed twenty-one (21) process refrigeration units installed at five (05) different sites. The methodology included collection and analysis of design & operation data and review of key variables like percent load, anti-surge valve opening, condensing temperature & pressure and chilling temperature etc. Energy Performance Indicators (EnPIs) considered for the benchmarking were compressor's specific energy, coefficient of performance (COP) and relative COP (RCOP). A thermodynamic model was developed for each unit to ascertain the refrigeration load. Instead of usual high level benchmarking techniques, the study considered unit and equipment level benchmarking which provided better insight of the systems and helped in finding opportunities for energy efficiency improvement. Further, COP which is generally considered as a benchmarking EnPI, only considers refrigeration load and energy consumption, whereas, this study introduced a new EnPI named "Relative COP" which additionally takes into account the chilling and condensing temperatures and gives true energy performance benchmarking.

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