SOLANOVA – "Factor 10"-retrofit of large residential buildings

Andreas Hermelink, University of Kassel

Keywords

energy performance of buildings directive, indoor climate, cost effectiveness, major renovation, best practice, Eastern Europe

Abstract

On January 1, 2003 the combined research and demonstration project "SOLANOVA - Solar-supported, integrated eco-efficient renovation of large residential buildings and heat-supply-systems" started. SOLANOVA is supported by the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission.

Ongoing renovations of the huge stock of large residential buildings in the new Eastern European member states (Hungary: 726 000 flats) only result in minimal non-sustainable energy improvements. SOLANOVA proposes to make this process more sustainable by transferring the existing know-how about new passive houses to the renovation of large buildings. In the Hungarian town Dunaújváros a 7-story panel building of the 1970s is to be transformed into a ?Factor 10"-building by reducing the space heat demand of the flats to almost 10%. Being the first EC project of this type in Eastern Europe dealing with a ?major renovation" of a large existing building, SOLANOVA serves as best practice example for the proper implementation of the European Union's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. 16 cm wall insulation, windows with integrated shading for acceptable summer comfort, mechanical ventilation with high-efficient heat recovery and fans as well as a big solar thermal collector area have never been integrated and applied in this context. Moreover, all flats are owner occupied and all retrofit measures have to be implemented in occupied state.

Dwellers' satisfaction, indoor climate and energy consumption are permanently investigated by a scientific monitoring. The first retrofit measures are to be implemented in autumn 2004. All project steps explicitly consider ecological, social and economic components over the building's life-cycle.