Sustainable retrofitting guidelines through an energy simulation-based method. Feasibly study on the social housing buildings in Agia Varvara, Athens

More than 75% of the buildings that make up the European real estate assets has been designed and built earlier than 1976 in the total absence of specific rules and regulations concerning thermal insulation and with very few considerations on energy efficiency [1]. Within the current discussion on the feasibility of energy retrofitting buildings’ operations, the pilot-study developed in this research offers an updated review of the possible methods and techniques to be applied to reduce the energy consumption in existing buildings. As a case study, the research team has selected a building block in Agia Varvara (Athens) to test a new computational method based on the energy simulation that has been run considering the current condition of the building. From the analysis of data that have been collected, a set of guidelines has been produced in order to define which are the most effective interventions. Up until now, the application of identical and standardized strategies have shown its limitations when it comes to the existing building stock which is characterized by an enormous variety of building typologies and a wide set of environmental, social and economic conditions. The aim of the research is to define a direct connection between the results of the energy simulations (Energy Plus software) and tailored design, thus creating a cause-effect link between the current situation and the possible energy retrofitting strategy. The proposed method overcomes the standardization of the renovation practice and increases the effectiveness of the retrofitting actions, showing the great potential of a tailored designed approach.