Economic and environmental impacts of several retrofit options for residential buildings
Nowadays, important efforts are deployed to reduce our actual residential building consumption which represents about 40% (25% for the residential sector and 15% for the non-residential sector) of the total energy consumption in Europe. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the environmental and economical impact of several retrofit options for residential buildings. Our study focuses on the Walloon Region of Belgium. A “bottom-up” methodology is applied: this methodology focuses first on a micro-analysis. Results from this micro-analysis are then used and extended to a macro-analysis. The presented methodology does not permit to determine with precision the global consumption of residential buildings in the Walloon Region. However, the latter methodology allows pointing out some economical and environmental trends related to the different investigated retrofit options. The first part of this end-of-study work offers an overview of the Walloon building stock by presenting statistic data on the Walloon residential houses. From these latter statistic data, it is possible to divide the Walloon building stock by means of arborescence. Each type of building is characterized by constructive data (mean area, Uwall, Uwindow…) and by heating production system efficiency. Thanks to these data, it is possible to determine the gas and electrical annual consumption for each type of residential building by means of a computer program that simulates residential building. The latter computer program is also used to determine the annual energy consumption of envelope retrofitted houses. Retrofit options related to heat and/or cool production are also investigated. A macro-point of view study is carried out in order to determine the potential of energy saving of each investigated options. An environmental comparison between the several envisaged retrofit options is realized in terms of CO2 emission, final and primary annual energy consumption for each type of building. An economical study is carried out in order to determine the profitability of each investigated options for citizens. The work also proposes a reflection about the actual incentive policies.
Engineering, computing & technology, Energy, Ingénierie, informatique & technologie, Energie
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