Circularity concepts for offsite prefabricated energy renovation of apartment buildings

Abstract

Deep energy renovation includes the realisation of the full potential of energy performance. A circular deep renovation, which contributes to a circular built environment, is based on 100% life cycle renewable energy, and all materials used within the system boundaries are part of infinite technical or biological cycles with the lowest quality loss as possible. In the current study, the circularity potential was assessed for deep energy renovation from different aspects: circularity of materials, building component and building structure. Careful selection of materials as well as connection, position and disassembly possibilities are needed to increase the degree of circularity. This shows a good possibility to increase energy performance by using circularity principles. The window glass circularity analyse showed that, at best, the thermal transmittance of a new circular product can be more than three times lower than the original. The circular use of materials, components, and structures pose new challenges for the building physic design of building envelope structures.

Assessing and Developing Circular Deep Renovation Interventions towards Decarbonisation: The Italian Pilot Case of “Corte Palazzo” in Argelato

“…In the framework of DRIVE 0, eight case studies were selected to investigate the circularity level of existing buildings in different climatic zones around Europe and in different countries: The Netherlands, Estonia, Slovenia, Ireland, Spain, Greece, and Italy [34]. For the latter, the building demonstrator consists of a manor villa located in Argelato, a small Municipality near Bologna.…”

Circular Renovation of an Apartment Building with Prefabricated Additional Insulation Elements to Nearly Zero Energy Building

“…Considering transportation and work time to demount and disassemble, the price of 45΄195 mm wooden planks used in the wooden panel was 6.18 €/m. The price of new material was in 2020 2.83 €/m and in 2022 3.63€/m (Kullerkupp, 2022). In the current case, the element was small, but in the case of larger-scale work, the cost could be lower and become more competitive.…”

“…Fig. 3 An apartment building (above) and a terraced house (below) solutions that can be built by using circular prefabricated modular external additional insulation elements used but some waste may be come and air cavities between insulation boards due to non-ideality may increase thermal transmittance of the element (Hallik et al, 2022), and pieces of wool to be recycled (5 % were damaged or too small to be used again) (Kullerkupp, 2022). Considering transportation and work time to demount and disassemble, the price of 45΄195 mm wooden planks used in the wooden panel was 6.18 €/m.…”