A multi-aspect approach to energy retrofitting under global warming : a case of a multi-apartment building in Montenegro

Pajek, Luka (author), Jevrić, Marija (author), Ćipranić, Ivana (author), Košir, Mitja (author)

Global warming will seriously affect buildings, and the Montenegrin building stock is no exception. Since the country is one of the most inefficient energy users in Europe, improving the energy efficiency of buildings is essential. Therefore, the study implemented a novel multi-aspect approach to energy retrofitting, linking building thermal performance, occupant interaction and climate change. A representative existing multi-apartment building in Podgorica was selected, and a survey among occupants was conducted to identify their satisfaction with indoor thermal comfort and to evaluate the acceptability of the proposed energy retrofit measures. Next, the thermal performance of the building was simulated under current and future climate conditions. Finally, a comprehensive parametric analysis was performed by applying different retrofit scenarios. The selected retrofit measures were evaluated based on their impact on energy efficiency and occupant acceptability. The results showed that the most impactful retrofit measure would be thermally insulating the building envelope, followed by a lower shading set-point and natural ventilation cooling. Applying the best retrofit combinations would reduce the total energy demand by 75% under the current climate and by 66% and 59% at the end of the 21st century under the RCP4.5 or RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively. However, the occupant survey results disclosed that beyond thermally insulating the building, occupants have limited awareness about the potential of energy retrofit actions, while summer thermal discomfort is the dominant issue. Therefore, building energy retrofit and climate adaptability actions should also address occupant views.

• Language: English
• Keywords: building energy efficiency, energy retrofit, climate change, climate adaptation, occupant acceptability
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 19 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 63, pt. A, art. 105462
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-142610
• UDC: 697:502/504
• ISSN on article: 2352-7102
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jobe.2022.105462
• COBISS.SI-ID: 129303299
• Publication date in RUL: 16.11.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of building engineering
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2352-7102
• COBISS.SI-ID: 525380633

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: energijska učinkovitost stavb, energijska prenova, podnebne spremembe, prilagajanje podnebju, sprejemljivost ukrepov z vidika stanovalcev