Energy efficient envelope for renovation of terraced housing

This paper presents a synthesis of the most relevant results of a study carried out by the Department of Architecture, University of Bologna, concerning the potential of energy retrofitting actions on existing terraced homes. This research proposes a preliminary analysis of the users’ behavior in relation to the building functional features and energy demand. A set of different conditions concerning the layout, the functionalities and the upgrading of systems was listed and their related costs - in terms of maintenance and energy costs - were highlighted. Some innovative renovation strategies were investigated in order to provide both an increase in volume and surface and quality of the building as well as an improvement in energy efficiency, in order to drastically reduce the energy demand.