Reading guide
The project New4Old is a
European funded
research, implementation and dissemination project in the framework of
EIE.
The project is formed by cooperation of 3E, AEE, NKUA, ITW, EREC, GRECT
and NUID
in a vision of integrating the possibilities of Renewable energy in
today’s
society with respect to the cultural and architectural aspects of
buildings.
Inspired by the success of
the Renewable
Energy House (REH) in Brussels, it is the intention to lay the ground
for the
creation of publicly accessible renewable energy houses, which will
serve as a
base for further stimulation of the market replication of Renewable
Energy
Sources (RES) & Rational Use of Energy (RUE) technologies in the
respective
countries.
The project New4Old is
committed to
significantly contribute to RES & RUE market penetration through a
two-fold
approach:
§
Creation
of a network of Renewable Energy Houses which will serve as focal
points for
the sustainable energy policy discussion in the different EU Member
States
& contribute to the commercialization of RES & RUE equipments.
§
Capacity
building among architects and planners through guidelines and training
activities in the field of building integration of renewable energy and
energy
efficiency into historic buildings.
This document is a result of
the second
goal of the New4Old project as it is a guideline that gives an overview
of the
possibilities of integrating RES and RUE in historical buildings.
Resulting from the respect
for the
historical elements of buildings the guidelines are divided in 3 parts,
where a
clear separation is used in exterior and interior changes of the
building and
as a third part the monitoring and controlling of energy and comfort
aspects is
discussed:
-
PART I:
The outside of the building
-
PART II:
The inside of the building
- PART
III:
Regulation and control
Beside this integrated
document a virtual
library is foreseen where this guideline and additional information is
placed
online (www.new4old.eu).
Introduction
In cooperation with EREC and
GRECT
Context and stakes
The EU energy policy’s
challenge of today
is how to use and produce energy in an efficient and sustainable way to
ensure
both security of supply, environmental protection and competitiveness
for the
benefit of all. In this context, Europe’s Heads of States agreed to a
binding
20 % share of renewable energy by 2020, and together with the agreed 20
%
energy efficiency target as well as the 20 % greenhouse gases reduction
target,
this forms a sound basis for a sustainable policy focusing on both
demand and
supply measures.
Buildings are at the core of
sustainable
energy policy as long as the sector keeps
accounting
for 40 % of the EU’s energy demand. Therefore the buildings
sector is key in
addressing the challenges of increasing EU energy dependence and
growing CO2
emissions, but also provides additional employment and business
opportunities
and cost-effectively supports local development and thus the EU Lisbon
objectives.
The EC
Action Plan
for Energy Efficiency [COM06]
identifies energy efficiency in the building sector as top priority as the largest cost-effective savings potential lies in
the
residential (households) and commercial buildings sector (tertiary
sector). This
communication paper points out the key
role for the new regulation framework in realizing the savings
potential in the
building sector. With environmental
issues now firmly
embedded into the political mainstream, the building sector faces the
inevitable
challenge of producing more efficient buildings whilst at the same time
responding to ever more demanding occupants in terms of comfort.
The new Directive on the
energy
performance of buildings will greatly affect awareness of energy use in
buildings, and is intended to lead to substantial increases in
investments in
energy efficiency measures within these buildings. It presents a great
challenge for the transformation of European building sector towards
energy
efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources.
1.1
Regulation Framework
Different approaches are
proposed with
the ultimate objective of reducing energy demand and the use of fossil
fuels in Europe’s buildings. Among the
main Community
legislation for the sector are the Boiler Directive [EEC92], the
Construction
Products Directive [EEC89] and the buildings provisions in the SAVE
Directive
[EEC93]. The key directive in the sector is the Energy Performance of
Buildings
Directive [EEC02]. It is briefly described below.
Energy Performance of Buildings Directive - EPBD
The Directive on the energy
performance
of buildings, in force since January 2003, builds on those previous
measures
with the aim of increasing the energy performance of public, commercial
and
private buildings in all Member States.
This Energy Performance of
Buildings
Directive is considered a very important legislative component of
energy
efficiency activities of the European Union designed to meet the Kyoto
commitment and respond to issues raised in the Green Paper on energy
supply security.
The Directive sets
minimum energy
efficiency requirements for all new buildings and for existing
buildings of
over 1000 m2 undergoing major renovation. Sellers and
landlords have
to provide prospective buyers and tenants with Energy Performance
Certificates.
Requirements
to be implemented by the Member States:
§
General framework for a methodology of
calculation of the integrated
energy performance of buildings;
§
Application of minimum requirements on
the energy performance of new
buildings;
§
Application of minimum requirements on
the energy performance of
large existing buildings that are subject to major renovation;
§
Application of a feasibility check for
new buildings > 1000m²
regarding the use of alternative systems (renewable energy, heat pumps,
combined heat and power (CHP), etc.
§
Energy performance certification of
buildings;
§
Regular inspection of boilers and of
air-conditioning systems in
buildings and in addition an assessment of the heating installation in
which
the boilers are more than 15 years old;
§
Requirements for experts and
inspectors for the certification of
buildings, the drafting of the accompanying recommendations and the
inspection
of boilers and air-conditioning systems.
However, member states may
decide to
exempt the following buildings from these requirements: ‘buildings and monuments officially protected as part of a
designated
environment or because of their special architectural or historic
merit, where
compliance with the requirements would unacceptably alter their
character or
appearance’.
Despite the slow progress on
transposition and implementation of the EPBD in a considerable number
of Member
States, there are good examples of successful policy approaches to be
found
across the Union [BIP08].
Recasting of the Energy Performance of Buildings
Directive
- EPDB
As the implementation of the
EPBD enters
a new important phase, the Commission has launched a major public
consultation
on the recasting of the Directive with a deadline of 20th June 2008.
A proposal for the recasting
of the EPBD
should be put forth by the end of 2008 [BPL08]. The new text of the
Directive
will be a consolidation, in other words, it will be a single new legal
document
[BIP08].
The views expressed by
stakeholders in
the public consultation will help clarify how the EU may best
contribute to
improving the energy performance of buildings.
The main issues for
consideration can
broadly be grouped into three main categories:
§
Simplifying
and clarifying the text to facilitate implementation;
§
Thresholds
which cover the appropriate proportion of buildings and installations;
§
Strengthening
certain requirements
Existing buildings
There are a huge number of
historic buildings in Europe and many of them are wasting large amounts
of
energy. Some of them are under threat of demolition. This architectural
heritage deserves very particular attention within a sustainable
architectural
approach, with regard to sustainable energy development and historic
buildings
protection.
Replacing an existing
building with a new
one requires a considerable investment of ‘embodied’ energy in
materials,
transport and construction [EHE04]. In global environmental terms, the
balance
of advantage strongly favours the retention of existing building stock,
particularly when performance in terms of energy consumption in use can
be
improved. Retaining existing elements of construction in old buildings
and
seeking to enhance their thermal performance, rather than replacing
them, is a
heritage conservation principle in line with sustainable development
[PEA03]
[UNE03].
Even if the actual buildings
regulation
exempts most of the listed buildings from energy performance
improvements,
these buildings can and should accommodate some improvements.
An example is the 140
year-old Renewable
Energy House (REH) Brussels refurbished so as to minimize energy
consumption
and to explore different methods for integrating renewable energy
technologies,
making it a 100 % renewable energy building. Figure
1 and Figure 2 shows its façades before and after
refurbishment.
Figure
1: Front and
back façade of the renewable
energy house, Brussels, before refurbishment
Figure
2: Front and
back façade of the renewable energy
house, Brussels, after refurbishment
1.2
Historic buildings issues in
preservation and protection
What is historic?
The term “history”,
in English, has been defined in two senses: a) the temporal progression
of
large-scale human events and actions; b) the discipline or inquiry in
which
knowledge of the human past is acquired or sought. Philosophy of
history can be
placed under either of these, and would thus be called ‘speculative’
when examining the progression, or ‘critical’, i.e. the
epistemology of historical
knowledge, when searching for knowledge of the human past. “Historic”
would
thus be understood not just as something being old, but rather as
something
that is significant as a source for the discipline of history, i.e.
something
that can be associated with a particular meaning and eventually value.
When
dealing with cultural heritage, the term “historic” would thus become a
qualifier as heritage [JOK07].
One or more of the
following criteria are typically used to determine significance:
§
Age
§
Rarity
§
Unique or unusual example
§
Outstanding example
§
Connected to a well-known person
§
Associated with a historic event
Urban areas in their great
variety are
the product of on-going processes. As such, they necessarily reflect
the
intentions and needs emerging in the different periods as well as
taking into
account the existing situations, environmental, economic and
socio-cultural.
While the resulting fabric would reflect the diversity of human
creative
spirit, it would also enclose a form of continuity that gives a
particular
identity to each area. Being considered historic would not be automatic, but rather the result of
continuity in
appreciation over time. Historic urban areas are thus areas of which
the
historicity has been recognized by the community concerned. This means
that
they are areas that would merit special care and even protection in
order
monitor and control any changes that would undermine the recognized
qualities
[JOK07].
Preservation of the
architectural
heritage is considered a fundamental issue in the life of modern
societies.
This heritage contributes significantly to
the value of
the city by branding the city’s character. Historic and contemporary
architecture constitute an asset to local communities, which should
serve
educational purposes, leisure, tourism, and secure market value of
properties
[MEM05].
The need of preserving
historical
constructions is thus not only a cultural requirement, but also an
economical
and developmental demand.
Architectural conservation
deals with
issues of prolonging the life of architectural character and integrity,
such as
form and style, and/or its constituent materials, such as stone, brick,
glass,
metal, and wood. In this sense, the term ‘architectural conservation’
refers to
the "professional use of a combination of science, art, craft, and
technology as a preservation tool" and is allied with its parent
fields,
of historic environment conservation and art
conservation.
In addition, architectural
conservation
also refers to issues of identification, policy, regulation, and
advocacy
associated with the entirety of the cultural and built
environment. Typically this
process can be seen as a specific aspect of a
society's planning system [WIK08].
1.2.1
Listed building
In most of European
countries, ‘listed
buildings' are buildings, objects or structures which have been judged to be of national historical or architectural
interest. They
are included on specific registers (see "list of buildings of special
architectural or historic interest" drawn up by the Department of
Culture,
Media and Sport (DCMS) under the Planning (Listed Buildings and
Conservation
Areas) Act 1990, in UK, or the “Inventory of the architectural
patrimony “and
the “safeguard list” in Belgium).
Principles of repair and alteration to historic
buildings
Historic buildings vary
greatly in the
extent to which they can accommodate change without loss of their
special
interest. These considerations will influence the extent of change that
is
appropriate to improve energy efficiency. Before any work is carried
out, it is
important to understand how the building works and to check if the
foreseen
alterations are compatible with this system.
When alterations for energy
conservation
are proposed, regard should be given to:
§
Ensuring
that the building is well understood
§
Minimising
disturbance to existing fabric
§
Reversing
the changes easily without damaging the existing fabric (especially
changes to
services)
§
Introducing
modern materials: new materials and techniques designed for new
construction
should be treated with caution
1.3
Historic buildings issues in planning
process
As a general rule, any
project that is
considered to significantly change the appearance of a listed building
will
require planning consent. From one country to another, this agreement
can be
delivered under the form of a unique planning permission or can be a
specific
consent. For example, in the UK, a “Listed building consent” is
required for
the demolition or partial demolition of a listed building, or for its
alteration or extension in any manner which would affect its character
as a
building of special architectural or historic interest.
Examples of the types of
alteration or
extension which would normally require listed building consent:
§
Extensions
to a building,
§
Alteration
such as the removal and replacement of doors and windows,
§
Alteration
to the interior fabric of a listed building.
Early consultation with urban
planning
and conservation officers is strongly recommended in order to help
prevent
conflicts between energy policies, planning and the conservation of the
historic environment.
Most of the building
conservation bodies
support the aim of conserving fuel and power provided that it does not
compromise the special interest, character and appearance of historic
buildings. The right balance is needed between reducing energy use and
greenhouse gas emissions, and conserving the national and local
heritage.
At a local level, planning
authorities
are committed to playing an active role in
helping to
reduce carbon emissions and meet renewable energy targets. Governments are
committed to embracing renewable energy by
providing
guidance on how local planning authorities should incorporate relevant
policies
in their development plans. Local planning authorities should consider
the opportunity for incorporating renewable energy projects in all new
developments and encouragement should be given in positively expressed
policies
[STA06].
Obstacles
Installing external
applications or
double glazing on a listed building or a building in a conservation
area will
need planning permission from the local planning authorities, who will
be
looking for any issues concerning visual impact in its proposed setting
and
proximity to land boundaries. Applications will need to show
clearly what is
intended to do, with detailed drawings and photographs.
Installations anywhere on the
roof slope
or the building itself will normally be resisted. Preference will be
given to
panels or micro wind turbines sited elsewhere in the grounds. However,
in some
cases neither of these installations will be permitted.
Recommendations
When submitting planning
applications, architects, engineers and developers should demonstrate how the scheme has
been designed to help conserve energy.
The scheme designed to help
conserve
energy in the Renewable Energy House in Brussels (Figure 3) was submitted within
the request
for planning permit.
Figure
3: Heating
system and ventilation system with
heat recovery in the Renewable Energy House, Brussels
It is also essential to
demonstrate that
the project won’t alter the elements that make up the special character
and
interest of the building, including:
§
External
features such as decorative façade, windows and doors
§
The
spaces and internal layout
§
Internal
features of interest such as decorated plaster surfaces, panelling,
floors,
window shutters, doors and door cases
§
Details
such as mouldings, stucco-work, wall and ceiling decorations
§
Archaeological
or technological interest of the surviving structure and surface
In the Renewable Energy
House, Brussels, these elements were
conserved and completely restored during the
refurbishment of the building, as shown in Figure
4 and Figure
5.
Figure 4: Internal features in
the Renewable Energy
House, Brussels
Figure
5: Internal
features in a meeting room of the
REH, Brussels, after refurbishment
1.4
References
[COM06]
Commission of the
European Communities, Action Plan for Energy Efficiency: Realising the
Potential,
Communication from the Commission, COM(2006)545 final, Brussels,
19.10.2006
[EEC92]
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 92/42/EEC of 21 May 1992 on
efficiency
requirements for new hot-water boilers fired with liquid or gaseous
fuels,
Official Journal L 167, 22.6.1992, p. 17
[EEC89]
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
89/106/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of laws,
regulations and
administrative provisions of the Member States relating to construction
products, Official Journal L 40, 11.2.1989, p. 12
[EEC93]
Council Directive 93/76/EEC of 13
September 1993 to limit carbon dioxide emissions by improving energy
efficiency
(SAVE), Official Journal L 237 , 22/09/1993 P. 0028 – 0030
[EEC02]
Directive
2002/91/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December
2002 on
the energy performance of buildings, Official Journal L 1, 4.1.2003, p.
65–71
[BPL08]
Buildings
platform Web site accessed on September 2008 http://www.buildingsplatform.org/cms/index.php?id=224#c1466
[BIP08]
EUROPEAN
COMMISSION, DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR ENERGY
AND
TRANSPORT, DIRECTORATE
D - New
and Renewable Energy Sources, Energy Efficiency & Innovation, Energy Efficiency,
Background Information Paper for the Public Consultation on the Recasting of the Energy
Performance of
Buildings Directive (EPBD)
(2002/91/EC)
[EHE04]
English Heritage, Building Regulations and Historic Buildings - Balancing the needs for energy conservation with those of
building
conservation: an Interim Guidance Note on the application of Part L,
2004.
Available online at http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/ign_partl_buildingregs.pdf
[PEA03]
Pearce D. The
social and economic value of construction, The
Construction Industry’s Contribution
to Sustainable
Development, Construction
Industry Research and
Innovation Strategy Panel, 2003. Available
online at http://www.cidb.org.za/Documents/KnowledgeCentre/sev_construction.pdf
[UNE03] United Nations Environment Programme, Division of
Technology,
Industry, and Economics UNEP Industry and Environment April – September
2003;
Available online at http://www.uneptie.org/media/review/vol26no2-3/005-098.pdf
[JOK07]
Jokilehto J. International charters on urban
conservation: some
thoughts on the principles expressed in current international doctrine.
City
& Time 3 (3): 2, 2007 Available online at URL: http://www.ct.ceci-br.org
[MEM05]
VIENNA MEMORANDUM
on “World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture – Managing the
Historic Urban
Landscape” held from 12 to 14 May 2005 in Vienna, Austria, under the
patronage
of UNESCO and welcomed by the 29th session of the World Heritage
Committee (Durban, 2005)
[WIK08]
Wikipedia
Encyclopedia, available online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_conservation,
accessed June 2008
[STA06]
City and District
of St Albans District Council Offices Civic Centre St Albans,
Draft
Interim Policy Statement : “Planning and
Renewable Energy”,
March 2006