Towards Differentiated Energy Renovation Strategies for Heritage-Designated Multifamily Building Stocks

The historic building stock is not homogeneous, which implies a need for differentiated energy renovation strategies in order to balance energy efficiency requirements and building conservation goals. This paper presents a new method for developing a base for differentiated energy renovation strategies for heritage-classified multifamily building stocks. Our suggested method combines different building databases using an extract, transform and load (ETL) technology. The method for this study was tested on the available information for heritage-designated and -classified multifamily buildings in the municipality of Stockholm, Sweden, and in the county of Halland, Sweden. The two cases reflect the heterogeneity of the Swedish Building stock. An important achievement is that the results visualise the relationship, not detectable before, between energy use, energy performance, year of construction and heritage classification within each of the selected building stocks. A specific result is that the energy-saving potential in the older building stock is insignificant in relation to the entire stock. The results contribute to an improved understanding of relationships both within and between the two historic building stocks, which is useful for developing differentiated energy renovation strategies.

Postoccupancy evaluation of historic buildings after their adaptive reuse into boutique hotels: an experience from Yazd, Iran

PurposeIn the early 2000s, a wave of new practices concerning the adaptive reuse (AR) of historic buildings into boutique hotels began in Yazd, Iran. This study presents the findings of a postoccupancy evaluation (POE) of adaptively reused historic buildings into boutique hotels. It aims to explore and prioritize the main factors of architecture's physical aspects in the adapted buildings.Design/methodology/approachIn order to carry out a POE, hotel guests' written reviews from online international and national travel platforms were analyzed. According to this preliminary analysis, a questionnaire was designed and randomly distributed among 300 hotel guests. The data obtained from the questionnaire were analyzed using SPSS software. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to reduce a set of indicators into the main components.FindingsThe findings revealed that “preliminary physical feasibility study and evaluation of building's functional potential” is the most important component with a weight of 0.709. Then, “adaptive reuse design” and “quality of building conservation” are placed with a weight of 0.232 and 0.058, respectively. The results show the mere attention of practitioners to architectural restoration rather than adapting historic buildings into boutique hotels in Yazd. Also, the lack of a specific framework for this purpose is felt in Iran.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research could evaluate the architectural aspects of historic buildings that have been converted into various functions from the main users' views.Practical implicationsThis research's main contribution is to recommend guidelines for more user-friendly boutique hotels. This includes principal components and their sub-indicators that should be considered in the AR process of historic buildings by conservators, investors and hoteliers. Also, the extracted factors can be implemented for boutique hotels' improvements in operation because they determine the order of priority from the users' viewpoint.Originality/valueThis study introduces a new application of POE in the field of conservation of heritage assets and the hospitality industry; it focuses on the evaluation of the users' feedback regarding the architectural aspects of adaptively reused historic buildings into boutique hotels based on original empirical data.

Benefits and Challenges of Heritage Building Information Modelling Application in Malaysia

Studies revealed that most heritage buildings in Malaysia are deteriorating due to poor maintenance of recorded documentation. Unfortunately, conserving heritage buildings is a complex and multi-layered process that requires collaboration between different stakeholders. Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) is seen as an opportunity to establish a well-managed data collection. This paper attempts to examine the awareness, benefits and challenges of the implementation of BIM among stakeholders. Sixty-nine respondents with BIM knowledge and skills answered the questionnaire. Findings show significant attributes that could improve building conservation project performance, delivery and management, hence several challenges that need further improvement. Keywords: Building Information Modeling, Conservation, Heritage building information modelling eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6iSI4.2917

“A Very Noble Crop”: Financial Stability, Agronomic Expertise, and Personal Values Support Conservation in Shade-Grown Coffee Farms

Shade-grown coffee is an important reservoir for tropical biodiversity, but habitat quality hinges on decisions made by farmers. Our research aims to investigate the link between coffee producers’ decisions and outcomes for biodiversity, using epiphytes as our focal group. Using qualitative methods, we interviewed 33 producers in northern Nicaragua to understand how they connect trees and epiphytes on their farms to ecosystem services and how personal values, access to agronomic expertise, labor supply, and financial stability influence decision-making. We used interview responses to construct six producer typologies. Most producers had strong positive attitudes toward trees and associated them with a variety of important ecosystem services. Smallholders were more likely to connect trees with provisioning services, while producers on larger farms and with greater agronomic knowledge emphasized regulating services. Most producers connected epiphytes primarily with aesthetic values. Across demographics, producers emphasized the restorative potential for shade coffee in repairing damage to soil, water, and nutrient cycles caused by other forms of agriculture. The conservation significance and sustainability of this social-ecological system can be maintained and expanded through economic and capacity-building conservation interventions, especially when those can be connected to values already held by farmers.

Developing a maintenance-focussed conservation model: an Australian overview

PurposeThis paper presents a conceptual design process for developing a maintenance-focused heritage conservation model. Currently, there are several intervention approaches that can be applied in conservation from reconstruction, restoration and repairs to a “do-nothing” approach. This paper examines whether a maintenance solution is more than just an option or a necessity. The aim of the paper is to study the challenges and opportunities when putting more emphasis on the maintenance approach in conservation.Design/methodology/approachThis research was conducted in an Australian context, where many major buildings were constructed from the 19th and 20th centuries and are now categorised as “modern heritage”. three case studies were undertaken to inform this paper and others. In addition, 17 global heritage conservation experts were interviewed, and their responses were analysed. Also, comparative field observations and archival records were examined and used to develop the initial framework model. Finally, using focus group discussions amongst 7 experts, the framework was reviewed and formally validated in order to ensure the development of a useful model for use in devising an effective maintenance management plan and monitoring conditions in heritage buildings.FindingsThis paper supports others in a series that have already been accepted by this journal, focussing the research on heritage building conservation being conducted in Australia, the homeland of the Burra Charter. The other papers are entitled (1) model for the maintenance-focused heritage building conservation and (2) engineering in heritage conservation.Originality/valueThe paper examines contemporary issues in heritage building maintenance and conservation in Australia and focusses specifically on the lack of focus on maintenance as a conservation intervention for heritage buildings.

Model for the maintenance-focussed heritage building conservation

PurposeThis paper presents and illustrates the model of a maintenance-focussed conservation plan developed in the thesis. It proposes a framework which puts more emphasis on maintenance in conservation than reconstruction, restorations, repairs or even a “do-nothing” approach.Design/methodology/approachThe research was conducted in an Australian context, where many major buildings are categorised as being “modern heritage”. However, the main problem with modern heritage is that although it has become more celebrated within the architectural historical sector, maintenance is still only in the background of most facility management (FM) operations, and its critical importance has yet to become accepted as a potential solution to greatly facilitate the proper preservation of the nation's architectural legacy. Challenges and barriers to this approach were evaluated, whilst opportunities were identified to improve a failing current situation that has resulted in the loss of many existing heritage structures. The paper makes a strong case in order to highlight the necessity of embedding a maintenance approach in preserving the historical fabric of buildings in the heritage conservation sector.FindingsThis research examines the key strategies for a maintenance-focussed conservation system.Originality/valueThe paper tackles experiences and issues in Australia about a lack of focus on maintenance as a conservation intervention.

Adaptive Reuse of a Historic Building by Introducing New Functions: A Scenario Evaluation Based on Participatory MCA Applied to a Former Carthusian Monastery in Tuscany, Italy

The lack of financial resources and the constraints about interventions are threatening the survival of built heritage and the multiple benefits it can provide. In time, the role of building conservation has changed from preservation to being part of a sustainable strategy where adaptive reuse may allow to protect built heritage, while promoting it as a resource. This paper presents the results of a multicriteria analysis applied to the case study of Certosa di Pisa in Calci (Tuscany), a former Carthusian Monastery currently run as a publicly owned museum center. Based on information gathered from literature and the involvement of the two main stakeholders, a SWOT analysis was performed to identify three scenarios in which new functions were introduced with the aim to cover restoration and maintenance costs. Scenarios were compared by using a participatory MCA, taking into account not only economic performances but also cultural, territorial integration and restoration co-impacts. Results show that it is possible to reach economic sustainability while conserving heritage values, but several criticalities may hinder the process. Conclusions discuss the suitability of the method in identifying sustainable reuse solutions and highlight the role of governance bodies and the problems related to their public and/or private composition.