Smart energy regions : cost and value

Abstract

Ever since the landmark Earth Summit in Rio in 1992, global awareness of sustainability has come a long way in terms of reduction of carbon emissions and increasing energy eɉciency in the conte_t of environmental issues. 4oreover, in view of our limited land resource and the realisation of finite earth resources, there is currently an ever-growing thrust in favour of retrofitting and reusing existing buildings for re-use. Underpinning all this, perhaps stemmed from the aftermath of the financial crisis in 2008, there has been an eXually important financial sensitivity to the cost of a project. An investment in retrofitting a building may take various forms, including its fasade restoration, indoor refurbishment for a designated re-use. These inherently bring with them an added value to the building in its new state, for the given capital cost. EXually in today»s energy-conscious, carbon-reduction era, such a retrofit would typically include upgrading the building fabric to improve the building»s energy eɉciency, through passive design, complemented with RES, without compromising the general comfort and well-being of its occupants. Today the latter is considered to be higher on the owner»s agenda, given evidence that it increases productivity. This is perhaps one way of ºdoing more with less» ¶ a smarter way towards building design. This COST Action, purports to do just that. It promotes smarter use of energy at both building and regional levels. Workgroup 3 focuses e_plicitly on demonstrating the link between cost and value of such retrofitting, applicable to both new and old buildings, as well as infrastructure and energy systems, at regional and national levels. Chapters collate papers from different member states covering aspects related to cost and value, covered under four principal chapter headings, namely Environmental Design, Sustainable Retrofitting, Energy Systems and Technologies as well as Smart energy Regions, touching on strategies for a top-down versus a bottom-up approach. The book starts with an introduction to the subject area by the Action Chairman and ends with a concise set of Conclusions by the workgroup chair. This publication covers the deliverable of Working .roup 3 for COST Action TU1104, better known by the acronym, Smart-ER.