Introduction
The urgent need to mitigate climate change has placed a spotlight on reducing energy demand within the building sector, which accounts for a significant portion of global energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Traditional retrofit approaches often focus on individual technologies, lacking the integration necessary for optimal efficiency and unable to exploit the economies of scale that could improve the cost-effectiveness of retrofit interventions. This project addresses this gap by developing a multifunctional toolkit designed to facilitate large-scale building retrofit interventions that are cost-optimal with respect to investment, carbon reduction, and primary energy savings.
Research Aim
The proposed research aims to create a comprehensive toolkit that seamlessly integrates various energy efficiency measures and technologies. These include enhancements to building envelopes, installation of heat pumps, incorporation of photovoltaic systems, deployment of advanced energy management and control systems, and utilization of thermal and electric storage solutions. By combining these elements, the toolkit will enable a holistic approach to retrofitting that maximizes energy savings and minimizes carbon footprints across a wide array of buildings.
Research Methodology
The research methodology entails the creation of hybrid models that incorporate physics, machine learning, and statistics. These models must be capable of managing the complexities associated with the integration of multiple technologies across a variety of building types. As part of the research activity extensive datasets will be analysed on building performance, occupant behaviour, and energy consumption patterns by leveraging the models that have been developed. The insights identified in the modelling and analysis process will inform the optimization process, allowing the toolkit to recommend tailored retrofit strategies that align with specific building characteristics and usage patterns.
To ensure practical applicability, the toolkit will be built and tested using large-scale project dataset from Provelio. This real-world validation will provide critical feedback for refining the toolkit and demonstrate its effectiveness in achieving energy and carbon reduction goals at scale, verified by means of building monitoring. This collaboration will facilitate the deployment of the toolkit and support the transition toward more sustainable building practices.