Adoption of Energy Design Strategies for Retrofitting Mass Housing Estates in Northern Cyprus

Abstract

This research project is undertaken in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (T.R.N.C.). The objective of the research is to investigate the occupants' behaviour and role in the refurbishment activity by exploring how and why occupants decide to change building systems and how to understand why and how occupants consider using energy-efficient measurements. The housing estates are chosen from 16 different projects in four different regions of the T.R.N.C. that include urban and suburban areas. The study is conducted through semi-structured interviews to identify occupants' behaviour as it is associated with refurbishment activity. This paper presents the results of semi-structured interviews with 70 homeowners in a selected group of 16 housing estates in four different parts of the T.R.N.C. Alongside the construction process and its impact on the environment, the results point out the need for control mechanisms in the housing sector to promote and support the adoption of retrofit strategies and to minimise non-controlled refurbishment activities. The results demonstrate that European Union Energy Efficiency directives need not only inform households about technological improvements that can be installed in their residential properties, but should also strongly encourage and incentivise them to use them efficiently. Furthermore, the occupants' energy consumption behaviour and the applicable policy interventions will make the difference between implementing policy which in fact delivers on its aims for energy efficiency and sustainability.

Institutional stakeholder participation in urban redevelopment in Tehran: An evaluation of decisions and actions

“…Dempsey and Burton (2012, p.18) emphasise the need for knowledge transfer among and between all stakeholders to raise the profile of 'place-keeping and the need for stakeholders to have both a strategic and local focus on long-term quality and efficiency'. It is also suggested that involvement of all stakeholders at all stages of the decision-making process that occur in regeneration and renewal contexts (Le Feuvre et al, 2016), and housing estate developments (Ozarisoy, 2018;Ozarisoy and Altan, 2017) is important. However, it is clear from reviewing the literature that the institutional dimension of participation and stakeholdership, and particularly the potential knowledge-building role of stakeholders in participatory processes is often poorly recognised or evaluated in terms of the process and the outcome/impact in participatory urban redevelopment projects.…”

LoBEMS—IoT for Building and Energy Management Systems

“…In reference [36], the authors studied what encourages people to increase their home's efficiency, and how they attempt to do it. Most popular approaches are focused on home renovations to decrease energy costs, however, people don't know how much energy it is possible to save by reducing the defined A/C temperature difference, compared to the outdoor temperature, or the potential a building and energy management system has to increase savings and automate some actions.…”

Energy and Emission Efficiency of the Slovak Regions

“…A number of methods is used in studies on energy efficiency and decrease in pollution, from qualitative [16] to quantitative ones. This paper takes a quantitative route.…”