The paper proposes a method for reliable energy diagnoses, aimed at integrated design of energy refurbishment of existing buildings, with reference to historical architectures. The approach is structured according to three main phases: (a) the building performance assessment, by combining …
In order to deliver the European energy and climate objectives to 2050, significant changes are essential in the building sector, especially regarding the existing stock. Indeed, there is a huge potential for action, also regarding historic buildings. In this regard, …
An existing ruin of a vernacular house located in a rural area of Portugal is being renovated, aiming for architectural identity preservation and low environmental impact, to offer suitable comfort conditions for tourism exploitation. Calculated global energy consumption reduction is …
Purpose: Millions of properties have suspended timber ground floors globally, with around ten million in the UK alone. However, it is unknown what the floor void conditions are, nor the effect of insulating such floors. Upgrading floors changes the void …
There is a particular approach to the energy performance and indoor microclimate of historic buildings. However, the implementation of energy efficiency in historic buildings is limited, given that the materials, structure, geometry and artworks to be conserved inhibit the improvement …
The indoor climate of historic buildings is governed not only by human comfort but also the desire to preserve these buildings and their interiors. For preservation, relative humidity is the most important parameter, including its amplitude and change rate. To …
Indoor climate in historic buildings pose both practical and scientific challenges. There are two fundamental challenges that must be addressed. The first challenge is establishing a proper indoor climate with respect to both human comfort and, above all, conservation of …
Refurbished buildings should also increase their energy efficiency, according with current regulation; however, in case of historical buildings, preservation orders are so strict to hamper usual energy efficient interventions on the building envelope side. As a consequence, in historical buildings, …
Purpose: The addition of thermal insulation into attics along with air-tightening of the ceiling plane is a common first step in making homes more energy efficient. Attic ventilation was introduced decades ago on the assumption that air leakage across the …
The dynamic thermal conditions profoundly impact on the quality of physical, cultural, and social experiences in courtyard spaces. This research aims to identify the microclimatic dissimilarities between courtyards in terms of tempering seasonal–diurnal thermal extremes and enriching ground-level thermal textures. …