Renovation alternatives to improve energy performance of historic rural houses in the Baltic Sea region

• Published in: Energy and buildings Vol. 77; pp. 58 - 66
• Main Authors: Alev, Üllar, Eskola, Lari, Arumägi, Endrik, Jokisalo, Juha, Donarelli, Anna, Siren, Kai, Broström, Tor, Kalamees, Targo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01.07.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Building service systems; Building technical equipments; Buildings; Buildings. Public works; Energy efficiency; Energy management and energy conservation in building; Energy-renovation; Environmental engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Field measurements; Historic buildings; Housing improvement. Restoration; Residential building; Thermal insulation; Traditional vernacular architecture; Types of buildings; Baltic Sea; Historic buildings; Field measurements; Energy-renovation; Thermal insulation; Energy efficiency; Building service systems; Traditional vernacular architecture; Performance evaluation; Energy analysis; Project evaluation; Traditional architecture; Climatic engineering; Measurement in situ; One family house; Vernacular architecture; Energetic efficiency; Renovation; Rural area; Building stock
• ISSN: 0378-7788; 1872-6178
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.03.049

•Energy renovation alternatives for historic rural houses are proposed.•Building service systems hold the largest single energy saving potential.•Of building structures, the insulation of external wall has the largest potential.•Cultural heritage values are possible to be taken into account in energy renovations. This paper analyses renovation alternatives to improve energy performance of historic rural houses in three countries (Estonia, Finland, Sweden) in the Baltic Sea region (cold climate). The study was conducted by a combination of field measurements and simulations. Indoor climate, typical houses and structures as well as the current condition and need for renovation were determined by field measurements. Based on field measurements, indoor climate and energy simulation models were validated and used to calculate energy use for different renovation measures. Energy renovation packages were calculated for different scenarios (minimal influence on the appearance of the house, improvement of thermal comfort, improvement of building service systems) for different energy saving levels. The analysis showed that the improvement of building service systems and the energy source holds the largest energy saving potential. The building envelope of old rural houses needs improvement also due to high thermal transmittance and air leakage. The insulation of the external wall has the largest single energy saving potential of the building's envelope. The results show how energy savings depend on energy saving targets, typology of the building, thermal transmittance of original structures, and building service systems.