Profitability comparison of active and passive energy efficiency improvements in public buildings

Abstract

Buildings and construction are responsible for about 40% of the energy and process-related CO2 emissions worldwide. At present, the renewal rate of building stock is relatively low, for example in Finland, which is the case under study in this work, it is 1.5% per year. With respect to the target of a carbon neutral world by 2050, the effect on emissions of existing building stock must be considered. In this paper, we present the results of analysis of energy efficiency improvement investment in 12 city-owned buildings in two Finnish cities. Using measured heat and electrical energy consumption data, a model was developed for analyzing the impact of active and passive energy efficiency improvement investment options per building. The examined active technologies were heat pumps, solar photovoltaic panels, and heat recovery in ventilation system, and the passive improvement compared was structural improvements in the building envelope. The results show that investments in energy efficiency improvements can reduce the yearly energy-related operating costs of the buildings by 35% on average. The study further finds that usually investment in active energy efficiency improvements provides a bigger return on investment than passive improvements. The profitability of examined measures makes Public–Private Partnership a feasible way to provide funding for renovation of public buildings.Graphical abstract

Shaping resilient buildings and cities: Climate change impacts, metrics, and strategies for mitigation and adaptation

“…• Energy Efficiency Improvements: Enhance the energy efficiency of buildings through better insulation [89,90] , high-efficiency lighting, appliances, and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems [91] to reduce energy consumption and emissions [92,93] .…”

“…• Promoting Energy Efficiency: Governments can incentivize energy-efficient building designs and retrofits by offering tax incentives, grants, or subsidies. Encouraging the use of renewable energy sources can also reduce energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions [92,93] .…”

How Can Urban Regeneration Reduce Carbon Emissions? A Bibliometric Review

“…Typical energy-saving technologies have been integrated into urban regeneration practices with other urban elements, including retrofitting solar energy and water storage, adding insulation to building envelopes, fitting energy-efficient electric appliances, recycling waste and using eco-friendly materials, etc. [47,48]. For instance, Hashempour et al [37] identified obstacles to promoting the replacement of low-carbon technologies in space heating based on regeneration cases in the Netherlands.…”

“…Furthermore, urban regeneration strategies to mitigate climate change in different countries show significant geographical features. It is typical that in countries at high latitudes, such as Finland, there is a greater research interest in heating retrofits in urban regeneration projects to reduce energy consumption and associated carbon emissions [48].…”