IEA SHC Task 37: Advanced Housing Renovation with Solar & Conservation

Motivation

Buildings are responsible for up to 35 percent of the total energy consumption in many of the IEA participating countries. Housing accounts for the greatest part of the energy use in this sector. Once the decision for a building renovation is made, the potential for high energy savings are given. If the renovation is implemented on a low ambition level, high potential savings are lost for decades. For this reason, the knowledge about renovation on a high ambition level concerning energy efficiency is essential to maximize the energy saving caused by building renovation and building modernization.

Approach

Based on this Task 37 “Advanced Housing Renovation with Solar & Conservation“ was started in July 2006 as a project of the Implementing Agreement „Solar heating and cooling“ (SHC) within the International Energy Agency (IEA). The aim of Task 37 was the development of advanced renovation concepts for residential buildings. Ten European Countries, Canada and New Zealand nominated experts who met each other in biannual organized meetings and conferences. More than 50 involved experts worked for three and a half year on concepts for high ambition level renovation focused on residential buildings. The Austrian participation, named “Team Austria” included institutes from universities, research companies and architects. Team Austria contributed in three of four Subtasks.

Subtask A

In Subtask A (Marketing and Communication Strategies) the buildings stocks of the participating countries were analysed to find housing segments with high potentials for energy saving. In co-operation of companies, policy makers and research organizations marketing strategies for increasing the market penetration of high level renovation have been developed. Team Austria contributed in the discussions and prepeared analysis about the Austrian building stock.

Subtask B

In this Subtask, 60 successfully completed renovation projects were analysed due to their energy performance. Promising approaches and specific measures have been identified and systematically analyzed and documented. Twelve high-quality Austrian residential renovation projects, with a focus on projects from the program "Building of Tomorrow", were placed in the Task and discussed with international experts.

Subtask C

This Subtask focused on technical solutions for building and building service renovation packages to achieve substantial primary energy savings including especially renewable energy. New technical components and systems were described and published in the form of manuals. The Austrian contributions dealed with participation of residents in the renovation process, the integration of solar thermal systems and controlled ventilation, as well as interior insulation made of cellulose.

Résumé

Beside the outcome documents, Team Austria worked in numerous meetings, symposia and excursions to deliver Austrian experiences to the international group of experts, as well as international experiences reached the Austrian experts. It has been shown that the problems of the participating European countries, as well as the traced approaches are very similar to each other. Therefore the common basis for the exchange of valuable information and the development of technical solutions was given. The aim is to continue the successful cooperation in a new Task devoted to the topic "Non-residential buildings”.

Project management

Dr. Thomas Mach
Institut für Wärmetechnik (IWT)

Univ. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Streicher
Institut für Wärmetechnik (IWT)

Institut für Wärmetechnik (IWT)
Technische Universität Graz
Inffeldgasse 25 B
8010 Graz
Tel.: +43 (316) 873 7306
Fax: +43 (316) 873 7305
E-Mail: thomas.mach@tugraz.at, w.streicher@tugraz.at
Web: www.iwt.tugraz.at