Overview
Today, the retrofitting sector in Europe is characterized mainly by on-site production, which may be inefficient with regard to cost and construction time. The sector is negatively associated with poor quality as well as an unsafe and unhealthy working environment. Facing also the enormous need for reduced energy use and renovation of buildings from the post-war era, these problems are reasons why an industrial construction process for retrofitting is needed.
Based on seven demonstration projects in Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Germany and the UK, E2ReBuild was to investigate, promote and demonstrate cost-effective and advanced energy-efficient retrofit strategies that create added value for existing residential buildings and endorse end-users to stay and build a dynamic society. The project based on research and demonstration projects, which implemented new retrofitting solutions regarding planning, design, technology, construction as well as operation and use of the buildings.
The results of the project are very multi-faceted. The demonstration projects, all completed by the end of the project, served as prototypes for the application, evaluation and monitoring of the new technologies. After renovation, they all showcase high energy performances and largely enhanced indoor environments. The planning, construction and monitoring process applied to the demonstration project is summarised in guidelines for architects, builders and local authorities. In addition, a new software tool – the European Retrofit Advisor – assists in analysing suitable renovation strategies for residential buildings at an early planning stage.
The results of E2ReBuild show that modern industrialized processes cannot only save money by reducing building and energy costs but, they also create functional, attractive and individual housing for a great number of tenants. Also, they show that industrialized processes minimize technical and social disturbance for tenants, facilitating energy-efficient operation and use of the buildings. Latter, might encourage tenants for more energy-efficient behaviour. Finally, the results of E2ReBuild can greatly contribute to improved working conditions and increased attractiveness of industrialised retrofitting construction sector.
