Energy retrofits have the potential to reduce building energy consumption and carbon emissions, but face particular challenges when implemented in historic and traditionally constructed buildings. Retrofitting these buildings is a complex balancing act, in which many criteria are balanced against one another in order to achieve continued, long-term use of the building. This article reviews the criteria, analysis methods, and decision-making processes used to assess energy retrofits in historic and traditional buildings. First, the criteria are discussed. While energy consumption and conservation are the dominant criteria, a number of others are also important, including the needs of the building fabric, occupants, and collections, as well as economics, embodied energy, and climate change. Second, several analysis methods for estimating or measuring retrofit performance have emerged as particularly useful for historic and traditional buildings, and these are examined. Third, recent efforts to develop consistent guidance and decision-making processes for selecting retrofits are reviewed. Overall, energy retrofits in these buildings are seen not only as a way to reduce energy consumption, but as a means of preserving them for future generations.

Energy retrofits in historic and traditional buildings: A review of problems and methods

Optimum insulation thicknesses and energy conservation of building thermal insulation materials in Chinese zone of humid subtropical climate

Thermal performance based optimization of an office wall containing PCM under intermittent cooling operation

U-value assessment by infrared thermography: A comparison of different calculation methods in a Guarded Hot Box

https://estudogeral.sib.uc.pt/bitstream/10316/87760/1/Laboratory%20and%20in-situ%20non-destructive%20methods%20to%20evaluate%20the%20thermal%20transmittance%20and%20behaviour%20of%20walls%2c%20windows%2c%20and%20construction%20elements%20with%20innovative%20materials%20a%20review.pdf

Laboratory and in-situ non-destructive methods to evaluate the thermal transmittance and behavior of walls, windows, and construction elements with innovative materials: A review

Factors affecting the in situ measurement accuracy of the wall heat transfer coefficient using the heat flow meter method

Feasibility experiment on the simple hot box-heat flow meter method and the optimization based on simulation reproduction

Effect of retro-reflective materials on building indoor temperature conditions and heat flow analysis for walls

The application of a lightweight building is limited because its indoor temperature is highly affected by the outdoor environment due to the low thermal inertia of the lightweight envelope. In order to improve the thermal performance, this study focuses on lightweight buildings integrated with phase change materials. EnergyPlus software with building model validated by experimental data is used to analyze the thermal performance improvement of lightweight buildings by integrating with phase change materials under typical weather conditions in five climate zones in China. The results show that phase change materials can reduce temperature fluctuations through improving the heat stability of the lightweight envelope. Phase change materials can effectively improve the indoor thermal environment throughout the whole year in a temperate zone. Also, phase change materials can improve the indoor thermal environment of lightweight buildings significantly in the transition seasons, but it also reduces the hours of...

Wei Zhang

Papers

Factors affecting the in situ measurement accuracy of the wall heat transfer coefficient using the heat flow meter method

Feasibility experiment on the simple hot box-heat flow meter method and the optimization based on simulation reproduction

Effect of retro-reflective materials on building indoor temperature conditions and heat flow analysis for walls

Research on thermal performance improvement of lightweight buildings by integrating with phase change material under different climate conditions