How innovation is shaping the future of building renovations

Efficient buildings save energy, money and climate-wrecking emissions. As EU negotiators prepare to hammer out an agreement on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), it is important to highlight that significant innovation is underway in the sector, writes Adrian Joyce.

Adrian Joyce is secretary general of EuroACE and director of the Renovate Europe campaign.

Meeting our international climate goals and decarbonising our societies requires innovation. The buildings renovation sector has not been perceived as the most innovative, but this is changing. From new methods of construction to skills and digitalisation, there are examples that lead the way.

Leaky buildings soak up far too much energy and are responsible for too many emissions as things stand. Without significant improvements to homes and places of work, we will not make nearly enough progress on our green goals.

Innovation to reduce time and cost of renovations

That is, of course, where energy renovations come in. The European Union aims to at least double the rate of renovations by 2030 and has made numerous funding streams available to help make that goal a reality.

Financial considerations though are not the only factor that guide renovation decisions. Building owners may have the funding support to pay for upgrades but the disruption that often comes hand-in-hand with energy renovation projects can be off-putting.

Thankfully, the buildings sector is an innovative place and people are hard at work coming up with solutions to these challenges. New ways of thinking and achieving goals are already paying dividends.

Off-site construction and modular units can cut the time needed to carry out renovation projects significantly, minimising disruption and maximising quality. Startups like BuildUp are showing the way forward following the Energiesprong model.

BuildUp claims that off-site solutions can be used to speed up the renovation of 43 million houses in the EU by 2050.

Today this approach is still in its infancy, with enormous potential for industrialisation. Massification will reduce costs and increase efficiency, but a secured pipeline of projects is necessary to make this a reality.

This is where a strong Energy Performance of Buildings Directive comes into play.

The prefabricated approach

Innovation is not just limited to improving insulation. Prefabricated walls, roofs and units can come complete with solar panels, ventilation, heat pumps and other technical systems.

All of this can be prepared off-site to the highest standards, transported to where it is needed, winched into place and fixed to a building. Time, emissions and energy are saved all in one fell swoop.

It is not just homes or offices that can benefit from this approach. Parents have had a rough couple of years thanks to pandemic lockdowns and school closures. Further disruptions are the last thing they need.

This prefabricated approach was used to renovate six school buildings in Lille. The works were carried out during the months of July and August when schoolchildren were on their summer break, meaning that classes did not have to be cancelled or postponed.

It is this kind of innovative yet simple thinking that will make the Renovation Wave and the energy transition faster to pull off.

More energy savings and happier people. It is a recipe for success that needs to be shared far and wide.

Digital technologies at the service of renovation

Digital technologies are also playing a bigger and more important role than ever. Robust data collection can and is working wonders in the buildings sector.

When companies can identify the problem more accurately and monitor closely whether their chosen solution is working or not, huge gains can be made in energy efficiency levels.

This was the case in Bilzen, Belgium, where Knauf Energy Solutions (KES) renovated 63 social housing units.

Sensors allowed the company to monitor the buildings before and after the renovation to see the real energy performance level and whether the works had properly addressed it.

It was a total success and the average energy savings for the project was 60%.

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

We are approaching a landmark moment for our buildings in Europe. On 7 December, EU negotiators will attempt to broker a final deal on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).

The EPBD needs to provide a stable framework so that investments can be made in the many companies that are leading the charge on innovative solutions, so that they can make the leap from thousands of renovations to millions.

This is the size of the challenge ahead of us but it is one that is fully achievable if we make the right decisions here and now.