Sustainable solutions for extensive retrofitting of residential buildings

The objective of the project is: To support deep rehabilitation of residential buildings towards net-zero energy standards while lowering the costs of refurbishment, the SustainaFitting project will develop and demonstrate innovative, efficient and cost-effective retrofitting solutions for residential buildings. Callenges: We have started from the barriers that currently hold the building owner from energy efficiency improvements to his building. Based on our experience, based on literature and based on the lack of breakthrough of innovative renovation methods and financing schemes, we concluded that the provided systemic approach must be realistic and down to earth. The focus of our solution is not to develop a high end approach, but a systematic step-by-step method that can be applied to 80% of the buildings and achieve 60% of savings in those. An approach that differs because it starts from considering the rooms rather than considering the building as one and undividable. Essential is thus that we keep our solution affordable. The first euros the building owner spends, should already result in visible and sensible improvements to his building. Technical solutions are thus presented in steps that combine to an intelligent whole and create a minimal impact on the (already decorated) inside. If all steps are taken, the building will have achieved 60% savings. To make decisions easy and well-considered, we support the technical solutions with a planning tool.