Investigation of sustainability embodied in existing buildings: a case study of refurbishment adopted in a Chinese contemporary building

Abstract

The Liyuan courtyard buildings are considered as contemporary architectural symbols of the spirit in Qingdao, China. The sustainability potentials embodied in the building is evaluated by building performance simulations analysis based on field investigation in this case study. Two models with optimization refurbishment were made through building simulation software. One model with façade supplemented in the insulation layers of the envelope walls and the other model with further upgrade with consideration of recycling materials mixed were discussed and estimated with building performance simulation method. The energy performance in the building and both scenarios designed can improve the energy efficiency, while the advanced model could achieve better result in the building energy behavior dramatically. Technologies innovation are proved to be good tools to improve energy performance the existing buildings by renovation actions such as insulation improvement and so on. It is concluded the sustainability regain its authentic appearance while achieve energy efficiency embodied within contemporary buildings through adaptational renovation strategies. Multicriteria considerations might influence the balanced between different factors when making decisions in the building restoration project, it is also expected to empower the fresh glory in the development of building protection and restoration.

Sustainable-Driven Renovation of Existing Residential Buildings in China: A Systematic Exploration Based on Review and Solution Approaches

“…Increasing the insulation layer thickness to above 26 mm in hot summers and cold winter regions does not significantly improve the walls' thermal insulation and energy-saving effects [34]. Furthermore, measures can be taken to improve the coefficient of expansion, porosity, and sealing of residential buildings with wood-structure walls [29].…”

“…Additionally, changing the filling material within the wall cavity is also an option. Selecting materials with lower thermal conductivity can reduce the overall thermal transmission of the wall [28,29].…”

“…Therefore, they utilize comprehensive room/zone models and simplified system models, making them more suitable for simulating the annual energy consumption of buildings. Additionally, Ecotect Analysis is a comprehensive computer simulation analysis software used for analyzing various aspects of the building environment, such as thermal, lighting, and acoustic environments, as well as economic and cost analysis, meteorological data, etc., and it is widely used [23,29,72,87]. •…”

Non-Iterative Optimal Design Method Based on LM Index for Steel Double-Beam Floor Systems Reinforced with Concrete Panels

“…To organize the constraint conditions into the LM index, the denominator and numerator on the left-hand side of Equation ( 6) were multiplied by the unbraced length of each member (L i b ). Then, from the definition of the LM indices in terms of demand and capacity summarized in Equations ( 2) and (3), the constraint condition for the strength can be expressed for the LM index as shown in Equation (7). Additionally, Equation ( 8) is employed as a strength-related constraint condition to prevent the violation of the design code.…”

“…Top-down methods [1,2] are alternatives for constructing new buildings in downtown areas by securing underground spaces, and steel floor systems which are widely used in underground structural systems to increase workability [3]. Apart from improving the insulation performance of buildings [4][5][6][7], a reduction in the production of materials such as cement and steel which generate 11% of the total greenhouse gases (GHGs) [8] can significantly contribute to solving global warming problems. It is well known that replacing cement with fly ash reduces GHG emissions [9], but concrete buildings have an inherent problem of emitting significant GHG during the service life of buildings including repair and maintenance [10].…”