Implementing Sustainability in Retrofitting Heritage Buildings. Case Study: Villa Antoniadis, Alexandria, Egypt

Abstract

Sustainable design is believed to stand on the opposite side of heritage conservation. This view is supported by the fact that sustainable design requires invasive measures to implement new technologies and treatments that challenge the principle of minimum intervention in heritage conservation. Another point of view sees heritage conservation as an already act of sustainable development that protects and preserves social and cultural resources such as heritage buildings and their intangible values. On the other hand, research and practice have proven that heritage buildings can be the subjects of sustainable design projects that achieve outstanding measures of sustainability and energy efficiency while not compromising the authenticity of the heritage value of the building. This sustainable conservation reaches its peak in adaptive-reuse projects of heritage buildings as reusing the building guarantees its ongoing maintenance and promotes its social, cultural and economic values to society, while giving it the ability to withstand modern users' comfort and energy efficiency standards. This research presents a case study of the adaptive-reuse project of Villa Antoniadis in Alexandria; a heritage building built in the mid-nineteenth century and in the process of a major adaptive-reuse project. The history and significance of the building will be studied as well as the conservation values of the current project, then some proposals for interventions that could achieve more energy efficiency for the project while conserving the building are discussed. The research included a simulation of the building, using building energy modelling software for the current adaptive-reuse project as a base case, and the hypothetical application of different proposed sustainable interventions such as thermal insulation, double glazing, shading, lighting control, natural ventilation, and photovoltaic energy generation, where the energy savings potentials for each proposed intervention were studied. The simulation proved a possible reduction of 36.5% in the cooling, heating and lighting energy consumption as well as generated 74.7% of the energy required for cooling, heating and lighting from renewable energy sources.

Adaptive Reuse Decisions for Historic Buildings in Relation to Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort—Cairo Citadel, a Case Study from Egypt

“…Another study was conducted in Egypt in 2018 at one of the Alexandria heritage buildings, addressing its adaptive reuse and putting forth different alternatives for energy consumption by simulating other options and producing energy from solar cell units [29].…”

“…It consists of a two-storey building. In 1905, Ali Pasha, the former sharif of Mecca, rebuilt the house [30] In 1890, according to signed plan for construction by the Greek architect Pericles Lascaris [29].…”

“…The Villa Antoniadis was used as a guest house, such as the kings of Belgium, Greece, and Italy [29].…”

“…In 1905, Ali Pasha, the former sharif of Mecca, rebuilt the house. [30] In 1890, according to signed plan for construction by the Greek architect Pericles Lascaris [29]. early nineteenth century [24] The project area 420 m 2 48 hectares with its gardens, while the villa building is made of a ground floor of 1065 m 2 , a first floor of 792 m 2 , a roof of 202 m 2 , and a basement of 343 m 2 , with a total floor area of 2400 m 2 .…”

Policy Framework for Energy Retrofitting of Built Heritage: A Critical Comparison of UK and Turkey

“…Buildings' energy use is estimated to be responsible for more than 40% of all energy use per nation on average [3]. The situation is considered to be more critical for heritage buildings, which despite their environmental credentials in terms of passive heating/cooling, lighting, ventilation, and good orientation, due to age, lack of maintenance, and previous damage, mainly, may demonstrate a poor energy performance that makes them more vulnerable to the consequences of changing climate [4,5] Although reducing energy usage in buildings is considered key in national and international efforts to minimise carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions, buildings with heritage values are often excluded from policies and regulatory frameworks on buildings' energy use reduction. A clear example of such exemptions on the international level is stated in the European Commission Directives; 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings [6] and 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency [7].…”