Optimal Renovation Strategies through Life-Cycle Analysis in a Pilot Building Located in a Mild Mediterranean Climate

Abstract

The 2030 climate and energy framework includes EU-wide targets and policy objectives for the period 2021–2030 of (1) at least 55% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions (from 1990 levels); (2) at least 32% share for renewable energy; and (3) at least 32.5% improvement in energy efficiency. In this context, the methodology of the cost-optimal level from the life-cycle cost approach has been applied to calculate the cost of renovating the existing building stock in Europe. The aim of this research is to analyze a pilot building using the cost-optimal methodology to determine the renovation measures that lead to the lowest life-cycle cost during the estimated economic life of the building. The case under study is an apartment building located in a mild Mediterranean climate (Castellon, SP). A package of 12 optimal solutions has been obtained to show the importance of the choice of the elements and systems for renovating building envelopes and how energy and economic aspects influence this choice. Simulations have shown that these packages of optimal solutions (different configurations for the building envelope, thermal bridges, airtightness and ventilation, and domestic hot water production systems) can provide savings in the primary energy consumption of up to 60%.

Improving habitability in social housing through passive cooling: a case study in Mengíbar (Jaén, Spain)

“…However, the evaporative system provides a solution that maximises the impact on energy efficiency. Consequently, it is necessary to redesign ventilated roof solutions to integrate natural heat sinks and achieve optimal results, making them viable according to the directives defining rehabilitation projects (Lissen et al, 2021). Finally, a literature review shows a limited number of roof designs as passive cooling solutions.…”

Holistic Impact and Environmental Efficiency of Retrofitting Interventions on Buildings in the Mediterranean Area: A Directional Distance Function Approach

“…All data used are available on the EU website of the project, and they were extracted from the [2]. The LCC is defined in the HAPPEN project as the initial investment plus the operational costs over 30 years after implementing the optimal solutions; and a deeper explanation of the computation can be found in [36]. In details, the Life-Cycle Costs are estimated as follows:…”

“…Tables 5 and 6 report, respectively for Single-Family and Multi-Family houses, the amounts of Primary Energy Consumption (kWh/m 2 ) (The primary energy consumption is the value of energy consumption of the buildings (for each m 2 ) after the implementation of the optimal solution (as defined in report D3.4 of the HAPPEN Project) [2]) and of Life Cycle Cost (€/m 2 ) for each solution and climate zone. Data were elaborated from the Deliverable 3.4 of HAPPEN project and the Life Cycle Cost methodology was presented in [36].…”

Renovating Building Groups in the Mediterranean Climate: Cost-Effectiveness of Renewable-Based Heating Alternatives in the Italian Context

“…In both studies, the authors place the BEMs all around the main capitals of the country under different climate zones, and state that NZEBs standards are achievable through 67 of 576 proposed energy renovation solutions. Again in Spain, the authors of [48] run an LCC study over a 30-year period on a pilot apartment building in a mild Mediterranean climate, built in 1979 in the city of Castellón. Authors define a package of optimal solutions (POS) to renovate the building, involving the building façade, windows, roof, slabs, ventilation system, infiltration improvement, thermal bridges, and domestic hot water production, providing for almost 60% primary energy savings.…”