Upgrading the Smartness of Retrofitting Packages towards Energy-Efficient Residential Buildings in Cold Climate Countries: Two Case Studies

Abstract

Improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings by implementing building automation control strategies (BACS) besides building envelope and energy system retrofitting has been recommended by the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) 2018. This paper investigated this recommendation by conducting a simulation-based optimization to explore cost-effective retrofitting combinations of building envelope, energy systems and BACS measures in-line with automation standard EN 15232. Two cases (i.e., a typical single-family house and apartment block) were modeled and simulated using IDA Indoor Climate and Energy (IDA-ICE). The built-in optimization tool, GenOpt, was used to minimize energy consumption as the single objective function. The associated difference in life cycle cost, compared to the reference design, was calculated for each optimization iteration. Thermal comfort of the optimized solutions was assessed to verify the thermal comfort acceptability. Installing an air source heat pump had a greater energy-saving potential than reducing heat losses through the building envelope. Implementing BACS achieved cost-effective energy savings up to 24%. Energy savings up to 57% were estimated when BACS was combined with the other retrofitting measures. Particularly for compact buildings, where the potential of reducing heat losses through the envelope is limited, the impact of BACS increased. BACS also improved the thermal comfort.

A Review of Building Energy Retrofit Measures, Passive Design Strategies and Building Regulation for the Low Carbon Development of Existing Dwellings in the Hot Summer–Cold Winter Region of China

“…In retrofitting projects, it could be quite challenging to improve those geometric features because of the physical limitations of the existing structure [16]. However, Felius studied building forms in terms of low-energy retrofitting, and found that apartment buildings are relatively cheaper to retrofit because the external walls and roofs already have higher energy efficiencies than other building elements [17]. Apartment buildings are the main residential building type in China as a result of the demand for quick development to cope with population growth.…”

Economic and Energy Performance of Heating and Ventilation Systems in Deep Retrofitted Norwegian Detached Houses

“…However, for GSHP they found a payback time of 21 and 41 years, respectively, for moderate and ambitious envelope upgrades. Felius et al [28] analyzed the potential of some selected energy renovation measures on detached and multifamily houses in Norway, and estimated that an air-to-air heat pump had greater energy-saving potential than reducing heat loss through the building envelope.…”

Energy Retrofitting Opportunities Using Renewable Materials—Comparative Analysis of the Current Frameworks in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovenia

“…Energy retrofitting is considered to be one of the most effective measures for reducing energy consumption in building stock [1], which represents around 38% of all energy consumers in the European Union (EU) [2]. In 2010, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), buildings were responsible for around 32% of global final 2 of 19 energy consumption and around 19% of all global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [3,4].…”