SCIS Smart Cities Information System | April 2020

BUILDING ENVELOPE RETROFIT

SOLUTION BOOKLET
EU Smart Cities Information System
 Building Envelope Retrofit Solution Booklet April 2020 2

Contents
What & Why 5
City context 8
Technical specifications 11
Description – classification of solutions
Trias Energetica
Facades/external walls
Roof/Attic
Windows/Doors
Other measures
Insulating the right way: the importance of respecting the principles of good building physics
Technical versus non-technical barriers
Business Models & Finance  28
Description – possible business models
Financial barriers:
Societal and user aspects 35
Gaining stakeholder support & engagement
Leveraging on primary and secondary benefits
Homeowner engagement
Governance & regulation 39
Stakeholders in building retrofitting projects
Lessons learned - Summary 42
Challenges
Recommendations

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Useful documents 45
Contribution47

Cover photo: EcoLife project in Kortrijk by Agata Smok (Th!nk E)

Photos inside: Han Vandevyvere (VITO), Frank Veltmans (Th!nk E),

unsplash.com and pexels.com unless stated otherwise.

Icons: thenounproject.com

Authors: Yixiao Ma and Han Vandevyvere (VITO),

[email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]

Contributor: Leen Peeters (Th!nk E)

Layout and diagrams: Agata Smok (Th!nk E)

   3

The Smart Cities Information System

(SCIS) brings together project developers,
cities, institutions, industry and experts WHAT IS THE
SMART CITIES
from across Europe to exchange data,
INFORMATION
experience, know-how and to collaborate SYSTEM?
on the creation of smart cities and an
energy-efficient urban environment.

A summary of the management

framework, primarily written for cities. It
seeks to reduce the effort, speed up the WHAT IS
process, strengthen quality and confidence A SOLUTION
in outputs, align across disciplines, and BOOKLET?
generally prepare a city to engage the
market to acquire a solution.
 Building Envelope Retrofit Solution Booklet April 2020 4

WHAT & WHY

Picture Jesus Cardona

 W h a t & W h y  5

WHAT & WHY

loft or roof
Buildings are the single largest energy con- insulation
sumer in Europe, accounting for approxi-
mately 40% of the EU’s energy consumption. gap sealing around
wall insulation doors, windows and
Nearly 35% of the buildings in Europe are
at building nodes
more than 50 years old and almost 75% of windows with double/triple
the building stock is considered as non-en- floor insulation
glazing and shading
ergy efficient.

At the same time, the building renovation

rate stays rather low, averaging around 1%
per year. Increasing this renovation rate can
contribute to a more efficient use of energy
75%
Buildings
and the reduction of CO2 emissions, while im- consume
proving the indoor thermal comfort.
Various energy retrofit measures can be con-
40%
of EU energy
sidered, targeting the building envelope on
the one hand and the building’s thermal and
electrical systems on the other hand.

Building envelope retrofit, reducing the

thermal losses both from transmission and
from infiltration, is a logical and impactful
first step. This booklet focusses specifically
on envelope retrofit and considers it from
a technical, financial, social and governance
perspective. Implementation barriers as well
as the upscaling potential will be discussed
and illustrated by experiences from different
European projects.
 What & Why  REnnovates: a EU Horizon2020 project for residential retrofit towards Net Zero Energy Buildings 6

REnnovates: a EU Horizon2020 project

for residential retrofit towards Net Zero
Energy Buildings

Rennovates project, see more on www.rennovates.eu

 Building Envelope Retrofit Solution Booklet April 2020 7

CITY CONTEXT
 City context  8

CITY CONTEXT
Given the importance of energy retrofit, many EU funded pro- In Valencia (Spain), 548
jects have experimented with new techniques and operational dwellings (62.243 m2 in to-
procedures, financing schemes, end-user engagement strategies tal), including 536 privately
and governance process setups. owned houses and 12 social
housing units are deeply retrofitted. Roof,
From the analysis of a set of nearly 50 building retrofit demonstra-
facade, glazing and shading measures are
tors monitored and documented through the Smart Cities Informa-
implemented beyond national regulation
tion System (SCIS), it appears that half of the retrofit projects realize
and standard practices.
savings of 50-75% of the total final energy demand. Some selected
examples are shown below.

In Valladolid, an intensive building envelope In San Sebastian, 156 res-

retrofitting plan is deployed to 398 dwellings idential buildings and 34
(24.700 m2 of conditioned area with 1.000 commercial buildings are
residents), energy demand of these buildings retrofitted with facade,
is drastically reduced through the implemen- roof and ground floor in-
tation of passive measures on walls, roofs and sulation and energy ef-
windows. The energy savings are around 50%. ficient window replace-
ment, resulting in 35%
In Nottingham, an intensive retrofitting program is developed
reduction of primary energy consumption
in the Sneinton area in order to achieve a low energy district
(in combination with a district heating net-
(23.318 m2 of conditioned area, 411 dwellings with around
work).
1.600 residents). The retrofitting intervention focuses on wall
and roof insulation, especially on properties that are over 100 In Florence, 300 social housing dwellings
years old. The energy savings are around 35%. with 700 residents, totalling 20.000 m2 of
floor area are retrofitted with envelope in-
A set of envelope related interventions are implemented in
sulation, which results in energy savings of
Tepebasi, Turkey (9.110 m2, 57 dwellings for 400 residents).
around 50% (in combination with a district
Through exterior wall insulation, triple glazing and attic insu-
heating network).
lation, 60% energy savings are achieved.
 City context  9

In Vitoria-Gasteiz, 312 dwellings (23.110 m2) are retrofitted by insulating the envelope and installing double glazed
windows. Additionally, buildings will be connected to a new biomass district heating network to be deployed. This
will reduce heating demand by 50% and CO2 emissions by 90%, while the first monitoring results show the energy
savings are up to 60%.
In Sonderborg, similar envelope retrofitting actions are implemented in the demonstration sites which consist of 51 buildings
with 815 apartments and 66.181 m² of built area in total. The energy demand before retrofitting varies between 114 and 139
kWh/m²/year, and the energy demand is reduced by 30% on average after retrofitting.

In Nantes, both multi-dwelling apartments and individual houses are

retrofitted by the implementation of better thermal insulation and the
In Nice, 3 apartment
installation of smart devices and renewable energy systems. 5 mul-
buildings with 133
ti-dwelling apartments (270 dwellings, 18.000 m2) aim to achieve an
dwellings are ret-
energy performance target of 80 kWh/m2/year (35-68% savings depending on
rofitted so that the energy con-
the building), whereas 32 individual houses aim to reduce energy use by 24% in
sumption is expected to be 60
average.
kWh/m²/year after renovation,
In Hamburg, approximately 500 old buildings in the city’s Bergedorf district are where it was 160 kWh/m²/year
targeted within the retrofit campaign, and at least 14 of them have been retrofit- before renovation.
ted by thermal insulation of the envelope.

Envelope retrofit measures are applied in social, public and private housing in Barcelona, Stockholm and Co-
logne. In Barcelona, 207 dwellings (over 14.000 m2) are retrofitted with external wall insulation and efficient
shading. Natural gas consumption for space heating is reduced by 30%. In addition, 53% of the monitored
dwellings have increased thermal comfort in winter, while there is also a 43% reduction of dissatisfaction due
to temperature imbalance.
6 buildings with a total of 323 apartments are retrofitted in the area of Valla Torg in Stockholm. The refurbishment measures
consist of the upgrade of the thermal envelope and many other active measures. Overall, the measures aim at lowering the
total energy consumption of the buildings by 60%.
In Cologne, a large energy retrofitting project in 16 residential buildings with 687 rented dwellings is implemented in the
Stegerwaldsiedlung neighbourhood. Similar measures are included – envelope insulation and windows replacement. Combined
with a few active measures (LED lighting, PV panels), the total final energy saving is up to 61% at the individual building level.
 Building Envelope Retrofit Solution Booklet April 2020 10

TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 11

TECHNICAL With the concept of the Trias Energetica in mind, realising an energy efficient
building should always start with reducing the heat (or freshness) loss-
SPECIFICATIONS es from the conditioned interior space towards the outdoors. The building
envelope is hereby defined as the physical barrier separating the interior
spaces from the exterior. It consists of roofs, walls, floors, windows and
Description – classification of
doors. Different retrofit measures can be carried out on both opaque and
solutions transparent components of the building. The resulting envelope retrofit can
be realised at component level, dwelling level, building level and even at
Trias Energetica
an upscaled district level.
The “Trias Energetica” principle describes
a logical three step strategy for realising an
energy efficient building:

Reduce the overall energy demand of Adding insulation material is the

the building by measures such as good most common measure for im-
insulation; proving the thermal resistance
of opaque parts of the building
With the energy demand being reduced
envelope, and thus reducing the
to an acceptable level, the next step
amount of thermal losses. The ex-
is to use as much sustainable energy
act insulation measures depend
sources (e.g. solar, wind, geothermal…)
on the type of structure, the type
as possible to supply the remaining
of insulation material, and the lo-
demand;
cation of the insulation material
If sustainable energy within the structure.
sources are not
1.
A well-designed insulation addi-
available, fossil fuels
tion includes measures to reduce
should only then be
infiltration losses. Good execu-
used and in the
tion is key for both, but especially
most efficient
2. 3.
for the latter one.
way possible.
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 12

The trade-off between the depth of building envelope

retrofit and the level of sustainable heat and cold
supply.
How much exactly needs to be insulated or to what extent
the losses need to be reduced, is to be seen from a system
perspective. Sustainable heat (or cold) sources can be avail-
able locally and at various temperatures depending on their
origin.
In the case where a high temperature local heat source
is available, a lower insulation level may be a responsible
choice. A good example hereof is a heritage area where
buildings present few possibilities for extra insulation, but
where the same area could be serviced by a sustainably
sourced, high temperature district heating network.
When waste heat at low temperature is available, better
insulated envelopes combined with floor heating or low
temperature radiators could be opted for.
The balance includes a combination of building level as-
sessments and evaluations at a larger scale, requiring ex-
pert advice to lead to the most sustainable approach.
Local heat zoning plans play an important role in settling Read more about district heating and cooling
the outcomes of the said trade-off. Heat zoning plans define as well as heat zoning plans here:
the urban areas where district heating and cooling net- smartcities-infosystem.eu/solutions
works will be rolled out, with given temperature regimes
versus those areas where stand-alone systems such as indi-
vidual heat pumps will be the standard solution for building
installations. In other words, the urban area roadmaps and
the individual building roadmaps (see also further) must be
compatible with each other. All of this must be considered
in the perspective of a decarbonized energy system, phasing
out fossil fuel sourced installations.
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  13

Thermal performance

k Thermal conductivity (k-value) U Thermal transmittance (U-value)

The basic measure of how much heat energy is con- A U-value is a measure of thermal transmit-
ducted by any building material, including thermal tance, or the amount of heat energy that moves
insulation materials, is thermal conductivity. It is through a floor, wall or roof, from the warm
characterised by the lambda (λ) value, or k value (heated) side to the cold side (unit: W/m2*K). As
(unit: W/m*K). As a rule of thumb, the lower the a rule of thumb, the lower the U-value the bet-
thermal conductivity the better, since the material ter. In this way, U is the inverse of R.
conducts less heat energy. ‘k’ and ‘λ’ are material
characteristics, whereas ‘R’ and ‘U’ as discussed be- U-value requirements for nZEB in Flanders, Belgium:
low are building component characteristics.
Roofs: Uroof = 0.24 W/m2*K
R Thermal resistance (R-value) External walls: Uwall = 0.24 W/m2*K
Thermal resistance is the inverse principle of con-
Windows (profiles and glazing):
ductivity. The lower the conductivity, the higher the
Uwindow = 1.5 W/m2*K and glass: Uglass = 1.0 W/m2*K
resistance. To compare the relative performance of
different thicknesses of materials (and composite Doors: Udoor = 2.0 W/m2*K
building parts consisting of several layers of different
materials) implies assessing their thermal resistance Floors: Ufloor = 0.24 W/m2*K
(unit: m2*K/W). Thermal resistance is calculated by U-value requirements for renovated
dividing the thickness of the material by its thermal buildings in Sweden:
conductivity, giving an R value specific to that thick-
ness. As a rule of thumb, the higher the thermal Roofs: Uroof = 0.13 W/m2*K
resistance the better, as there is a greater resistance External walls: Uwall = 0.18 W/m2*K
to heat transfer. Resultantly, the thermal resistance
can be increased by selecting a material with a low- Windows (profiles and glazing):
er conductivity and/or by providing a thicker layer Uwindow = 1.3 W/m2*K
of that insulation material. In a composite wall, the
Doors: Udoor = 1.3 W/m2*K
thermal resistances of the different layers add up.
Floors: Ufloor = 0.15 W/m2*K
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 14

Facades/external walls Water and vapour barriers

For facades, the insulation lay- Non-insulating construction layer

er can be placed externally, in- Eventually existing,

ternally or in the wall cavity. underperforming insulation layer

External insulation Typical situation before building

retrofit:
External insulation implies that one or more • Poor insulation,
• Presence of thermal bridges,
insulation layers are applied to the external • Possible lack of vapour barrier
in roof.
surface of the wall. The extent to which the
existing wall is dismantled depends on its
state of conservation and on the type of in- Situation before insulation

sulation. The existing rendering or cladding Water and vapour barriers

of the external surface sometimes needs to New insulation layer

Non-insulating construction layer
be removed before putting the new insula-
Eventually existing,
tion layers. Most often, a new facade finishing underperforming insulation layer

will have to be applied on top of the newly

added insulation layer. A common example is Situation after external facade
and roof insulation:
rendering, but light facade systems and even • Performant insulation,
• No thermal bridges,
a new outer stone or brick blade are possible, • Correct hygrothermal detailing
of roof.
as far as the right support systems are put in
place (support frames attached to the existing
facade or new foundations). Insulation works

From a building physics perspective, external sation) and (2) it completely ‘packs’ the
insulation is the preferred option because: thermal mass of the building structure so
(1) it provides most guarantees for realis- that the latter can work as a heat (or cold)
ing a continuous insulation coat around the storage within the protected volume, re-
building without ‘thermal bridges’ (interrup- ducing the temperature fluctuations and
tions in the insulation that provoke accrued hence improving the thermal comfort.
thermal losses and lead to risks like conden-

New outer brick blade

 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 15

Internal insulation Water and vapour barriers

Internal insulation means add- Non-insulating construction layer

ing an insulation layer on the Eventually existing,
inside of the external wall. underperforming insulation layer

The most common method is to

Typical situation before building
build a new stud wall and to add the insula- retrofit:
• Poor insulation,
tion layer into its structure. However, internal • Presence of thermal bridges,
• Possible lack of vapour barrier
insulation can be disruptive, and it requires in roof.

the removal and re-fixing of indoor items or

equipment. It is also sub-optimal from a build-
ing physics perspective. Water and vapour barriers

New insulation layer

Four bottlenecks are: Non-insulating construction layer

1. unavoidable thermal bridges (for Eventually existing,

underperforming insulation layer
example where concrete floors are fixed New inside insulation layer

into the external walls);

Situation after internal facade
2. loss of the thermal capacity of these and external roof insulation:
• Performant insulation,
external walls; • Correct hygrothermal roof
detailing but remaining thermal

3. thermal stress on the latter which are bridges and condensation risks.

now fully exposed to heat and cold

shocks from the outside; and
Water and vapour barriers
4. Condensation risks, both on surfaces or Eventually existing,

in the building structure underperforming insulation layer

Non-insulating construction layer

In addition, the useful floor area is decreased Eventually existing,

underperforming insulation layer
by the internal insulation package. Internal New inside insulation layer

insulation must therefore be regarded as an Situation after internal facade

option to choose when other solutions are not and roof insulation:
• Performant insulation, but
possible or judged too complex or expensive remaining thermal bridges and
internal condensation risks
to realise. (critical in roof).
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 16

Cavity wall insulation Water and vapour barriers

If the external wall has an Non-insulating construction layer

empty cavity and the cavity is Eventually existing,
wide enough (at least 50 mm), underperforming insulation layer

the latter can be filled with an

appropriate insulation material in order to Typical situation before building
retrofit:
improve the thermal properties of the ex- • Poor insulation,
• Presence of thermal bridges,
ternal wall. • Possible lack of vapour barrier
in roof.

The insulation layer thus reduces the heat

losses through the cavity by removing the air
layer by a more performant insulation mate-
rial. Although this is a very convenient solu-
tion (few disruptions, relatively cheap), it has Water and vapour barriers

some disadvantages like internal insulation.

New insulation layer
Non-insulating construction layer

Unavoidable thermal bridges are the main

challenge with this solution, depending on
how much the internal cavity is continuous
or not. The potential improvement of the ther- Situation after insulation of
facade cavity and external roof
mal performance is also limited by the width insulation:
• Semi-performant insulation,
of the cavity. However, the thickness will be • Correct hygrothermal roof
detailing but remaining thermal
just enough to overcome the typical ther- bridges and condensation risks
© ugent.be
at facade level.
mal discomfort that comes with cold exterior
walls.
For any of the above insulation measures, it
is strongly recommended to get advice from
a building expert in order to realise a dura-
ble set-up that fulfils the proper hydrothermal
prerequisites. Expert advice is equally recom-
mended for solving the building nodes, as ex-
plained below.
© ugent.be
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 17

Building envelope nodes and avoiding

future lock-in effects
To be effective, the insulation layer around When a building is retrofitted in phases, one must already con-
the protected volume of the building must sider future interventions in order not to jeopardize the prin-
be continuous. ciple of the continuous insulation.
Where external walls meet roofs, windows or An example is window replacement: it must be considered that,
floors, this may imply that substantial adapta- at a later stage, the facades may be insulated and hence must
tions to those specific building nodes must be properly connect to the new window profiles. If the reduced net
carried out. For example, extending the roof window opening that results from this future intervention is not
surface and its insulation layer so that these considered on beforehand, the window replacement will lead
connect well to the newly added external to a lock-in where no technically correct solution is possible
insulation layer and finishes on the facades. without replacing the windows again, this time with a smaller
glazing area.

Illustration of need to redesign building nodes, e.g. where retrofitted roof and facade meet.
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 18

The best way to avoid sub-optimal lock-ins while future-proofing

the building in phases, is to revert to the use of a building roadmap.
This roadmap envisages the desired end-state of the building and articu-
lates the possible scenarios to reach that end-state step by step:

Woningpark 2015 Instruments:

awareness-raising
incentives
commitments

Demolition

Construction
Woningpark 2050

Measurements

Roof insulation

Wall insulation New technology

High-performing Floor insulation

windows
Example of building roadmapping: Energiesparen/VEA
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 19

Roof/Attic

Roof insulation
Roof insulation is generally The importance of vapour barriers
more critical than wall insula- If excessive amounts of water vapour were to get accumulat-
tion and will most often be the ed into the wall, roof or floor structure and the corresponding
first measure to apply when prioritizing on insulation layers, this would reduce the insulation properties
the retrofit interventions. and potentially lead to defects such as damp, mould and/or rot.
At the same time, the payback time for roof The resulting damages may be far-reaching, up to the structural
insulation is generally (much) shorter than failure of building components. Properly placed vapour barriers
for wall insulation. How the roof is insulated prevent these effects.
depends on the roof type. The appropriate A vapour barrier is a continuous foil or sheet which is imper-
techniques for flat roofs are substantially meable to water vapour. As warm air can contain more vapour
different from those for pitched roofs. When than cold air and condensation may thus occur where there is
insulating a roof, one must be very careful to moisture transport towards the colder air zones, the foil is always
install vapour barriers where needed and in installed on the warm side of the insulation layer. This shield
the appropriate position, in order to avoid in- prevents the moisture from migrating towards the colder parts
ternal condensation in the roof structure. of the wall, roof or floor and condensating there.
On the cold side, the insulation is not covered with a similar
vapour sheet. The reason is that e.g. temperature changes can
lead to increased humidity in the insulating material, and an
Cold Warm humid open side enables it to dry. An exception occurs with the use of
climates: climates: a water- and vapour-tight outer finishing layer such as the water-
proofing sheet on most flat roofs. Here one must make sure that
Vapour upon installation, the insulation material is perfectly dry while it
barrier is being embedded in between the inner vapour barrier and the
Inside Outside outer water-vapour proofing sheet. As such, no humidity can ever
Moisture Moisture get into the sealed insulation package.
movement movement
Vapour barriers must not have air leaks letting moisture to seep
Vapour in, just like roofing foils should not have perforations letting water
barrier to pass through.
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 20

Insulating the roof to future-proofed stand-

ards will often imply that the roof thickness
increases to the outwards:
• It will not be the case in a pitched roof
where the insulation can be added
between the rafters and inwards into
the attic space;
• It will however be the case in pitched
roofs where the sarking technique is
applied. Hereby a new, continuous
insulation package is added on top of
the existing rafters;
• And it will mostly be the case for flat
roofs where the insulation layer on
the outside is thickened and a new
waterproofing membrane is added.

In this way, a similar challenge as discussed for

the facades will occur at the building nodes,
for example at the connections between roofs
and facades. Roof borders may require sub-
stantial reworking.

Insulating a flat roof inward under the roof For most pitched roof types by contrast, the solution
structure brings high risks of internal con- works very well if certain conditions are fulfilled (for
densation and must only be done in specific example, the proper installation of a vapour barrier
setups with the approval (and control of exe- where interior climate conditions require such). In
cution) by a building expert. fact, inside insulation of pitched roofs is common-
ly the first and most evident measure to increase
a building’s energy efficiency, as it is easy to execute
and comes with short payback times.
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 21

Attic insulation
There are two types of attic: cold and warm.
In the cold attic, insulation is placed on the attic
floor rather than in the roof structure, keeping the
loft cold. This may be a viable solution where the
attic is not used, or only as a storage space for materials that can
resist heat and cold shocks. When storing materials in such attic,
attention must be paid in order not to damage the insulation
layer in the use phase.
In the warm attic, thermal insulation is placed in the roof struc-
ture. In this way, the attic can be used as a living space rather
than as a storage space solely.

Windows/Doors
Replacing old single- or double-glazing windows
with energy efficient glazing and profiles (e.g. low-E
glazing, up-to-date double/triple glazing, window
frames with double or triple thermal chambers) can
significantly increase the energy performance of the building.
Indoor comfort will increase as well, as the cold radiation from
windows in winter will substantially decrease.
There may however be a limit to set on the thermal performance
of the windows, depending on the thermal characteristics of the
other parts of the building envelope. Installing triple- or even
double-glazing windows in poorly insulated walls may provoke
condensation problems on the walls. The latter now become
the cold spot in a space where before the condensation would
happen on the (single) window surfaces.
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 22

Low-emissivity windows (Low-E windows)

Low-E glass windows have a special glass surface coating that mini-
mizes the amount of infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) radiation pass-
ing through it, without preventing most of the visible light to come
through. The long wave infrared radiation, which is heat, emitted from
the room to the outside is reflected back by the coating.

Double-glazed windows
These windows feature two panes separated by an air or noble gas
filled layer. The fenestration system is airtight. A spacer is in place to
separate the panes and seal the gas inside.

Triple-glazed windows
The concept is the same as with double glazing, however, with three
glass panes and two layers of gas (either air or noble gases). Triple
glazing will result in better thermal properties compared to double
glazing.

The thermal transmittance of windows includes both the glass and

the frame. Correct installation of the glass is crucial in order not to
create leaks and draughts near the frame.
Commercially available glazing often combines the above character-
istics, e.g. coatings and air/gas chambers.

Door replacement
Replacing an old exterior door with an energy efficient door with
lower u-value will both reduce the energy consumption and increase
the airtightness of the building. Retrofitting works © SCIS
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Description – classification of solutions 23

Other measures

External/Internal shading
Shading devices can limit the amount of
undesired solar radiation entering the
building. They can be either external or
internal, either fixed or dynamic.
External shading is more efficient than internal shading
as solar radiation is prevented from entering the interior
space where it will be absorbed and turned from light
into heat.
Fixed shading can be smartly designed so that with low
solar altitudes in winter, the sunlight enters the building
and provides for free heat gains while with high solar
altitudes in summer, the radiation is blocked off.

Green roof External shading integrated in the architecture of the building: overhangs, mobile louvres (Tietgencollegiet, Copenhagen)

A green roof is a layer of vegetation on

top of the roof.
It can improve the thermal and acoustic
properties of the roof both in terms of ther-
mal capacity and insulation of heat and
noise, but also retain, collect and use storm
water, improve the local air quality, reduce the urban
heat island effect and provide for more local biodiversi-
ty. And of course, a green roof is nicer to look upon than
a black polymerous surface.

Green roof in Oud-Heverlee, Belgium STORY Horizon 2020 Demo Site

 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Insulating the right way: the importance of respecting the principles of good building physics 24

Insulating the right way: the

importance of respecting the
principles of good building
physics
From the above, it has already emerged that
Doing a bad job: when the insulation panels do not
thermal retrofit must happen while strictly re-
connect tightly to each other, much of the insulation
specting the principles of good building phys-
capacity is lost and moisture problems may occur
ics. This implies that the following problems
with time. Capacity building in the work force and
will be avoided:
strict control of the building works are essential to
avoid such deficiencies.
• Thermal leaks, mostly in the form
of thermal bridges at particular Condensation on surfaces and in the building
building nodes but also as badly structure - problems of heat and moisture leaks
placed insulation materials all over the
building envelope’s surface; It is mandatory to apply the insulation measures ac-
cording to the standard details as provided by the
• Internal and surface condensation that manufacturers or as instructed by a building expert
may not only lead to problems with (architect, building engineer,…).
indoor air quality, but also to materials
Thermal bridges must be avoided or reduced to an
degradation, mould, rot and even
unharmful degree. The latter means that there are
structural collapse;
still some higher thermal losses at the specific build-
• Uneven performance of (adjacent) parts ing node, but these losses are not problematic as to
of the building envelope, leading to provoke condensation, for example.
suboptimal investments and potential Air, vapour and moisture barriers must be placed in
problems from both a thermal and the right sequences, with the greatest care and pre-
a moisture point of view; cision, in order to avoid any of the above-mentioned
• Air leaks leading to problems of heat problems. Avoiding (internal) condensation is a main
and moisture transfer as well as priority for any type of insulation work.
outdoor noise penetration. See also the box about the role of vapour barriers.
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Insulating the right way: the importance of respecting the principles of good building physics 25

Airtightness and leakage (infiltration/exfiltration) versus

ventilation and indoor air quality
Apart from good thermal insulation, it is also important to
focus on the airtightness of the building. Building airtight-
ness is defined as the resistance to inward or outward air
leakage through unintentional leakage points or areas in
the building envelope. Increasing the airtightness of the
building should receive enough attention while retrofit-
ting, as air leakage can reduce the effectiveness of thermal
insulation, allow conditioned air to escape to the outdoors
or unconditioned outdoor air to infiltrate into the interior,
meanwhile causing extra workload to the heating or cool-
ing systems. Air leakage further leads to serious issues of
moisture, condensation and indoor comfort.
Doing a bad job: when the insulation panels do not connect well and tightly to
each other, much of the insulation capacity is lost. Capacity building in the work
force and strict control of the building works are essential to avoid such situations.
Infiltration and exfiltration are difficult to measure, and the associated losses are
hard to control. It requires professional execution to avoid such leaks to the mini-
mum; a blower door test can be performed after the works in order to prove that
the required level of airtightness has been achieved.
Making a building airtight strongly increases the need for a good ventilation system,
as consumed indoor air must be sufficiently refreshed by the controlled import of
clean outside air. Hereby it is important to make sure that the right volumes of air
are being extracted and imported - this stands in contrast with the uncontrolled air
changes that occur with a poorly performing building envelope. In fully ‘balanced’
ventilation systems, there will also be an opportunity to recycle the heat (or cold)
from the extracted air to pre-heat (or pre-cool) the incoming air. This minimises the
thermal losses resulting from the (necessary) ventilation flows. Controlled ventila-
tion may be supported by CO2- or moisture detection, giving the right impulses to
Blower door test. © Th!nk E
the ventilation system so that with higher indoor air contamination the ventilation
flow is accordingly increased, and vice versa. Such control further reduces energy
consumption related to ventilation flows.
 Te c h n i c a l s p e c i f i c a t i o n s  Te c h n i c a l v e r s u s n o n - t e c h n i c a l b a r r i e r s 26

Technical versus non-technical

barriers Insulation materials
In a principle, good technical solutions ex- Depending on the building envelope retrofit
ist for any insulation problem. These may method, a variety of materials can be used in dif-
however come at considerable cost and ferent components of the building envelope. The
careful execution is of paramount impor- most commonly used thermal insulation mate-
tance in order to arrive at the desired per- rials can be classified based on their properties:
formance levels.
Inorganic materials:
The latter aspect may be challenging to real- Glass wool, mineral wool.
ise. The construction sector is known to have
a high failure rate and struggles with capacity Organic materials
problems both in terms of size of the labour Natural: cork, cellulose, cotton,
force and professional skills. Therefore, it is hemp, straw
recommended that the building client is sup-
Synthetic: expanded polystyrene
ported by impartial professionals like archi-
(EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS),
tects and engineers or building consultants,
polyurethane (PUR), polyisocya-
but also through new set-ups like a ‘retrofit
nurate (PIR), etc...
one stop shop’ facilitated by local authorities,
so that sufficient quality guarantees are built Many parameters should be taken into account
into the design and the realisation of the ret- when selecting thermal insulation materials, in-
rofit operation. cluding thermal properties, cost, ease of place-
ment, building code requirements, durability,
One-stop-shops are strongly on the rise and
acoustical performance, air tightness and envi-
may at the same time provide the building
ronmental impact. However, the thermal resist-
owner with financing strategies and other
ance of insulation materials remains the most
types of support and de-burdening. In this
important property when considering thermal
way technical, logistic and financial barriers
performance and energy conservation.
are addressed in one single, concerted action.
 Building Envelope Retrofit Solution Booklet April 2020 27

BUSINESS MODELS
& FINANCE
 Business Models & Finance  Description – possible business models 28

BUSINESS MODELS &

FINANCE
Description – possible business
models
The appropriate business model for build- The traditional single building client market model is the most
ing retrofit is project and client depend- common business model delivering residential retrofit in Eu-
ent. The possible retrofit business models rope, especially in small size projects (e.g. single-family house
and incentives can be summarized into six rehabilitation). In this business model, retrofit measures are
main types/groups: implemented by one or more contractors on behalf of a single
building client/owner. Building owners source the individual re-
• Single building client market model
furbishment measures (including follow-up, quality control and
• Market intermediation model
commissioning), energy audits,
• One-stop-shop
and finance separately, further
• ESCO model and energy performance
resulting in separate customer
contracting
interfaces for a comprehensive
• Additional revenue models including
residential retrofit package. Fi-
financial support incentives
nancing in this formula typically
• Innovative financing schemes
involves own liquidity, a loan or
Combinations of the different models are a mortgage. Energy savings are
common (e.g. single building client supported generally not guaranteed. The
by financial incentives). major drawback of this busi-
ness model is that projects be-
In general, these business models are not only
come fragmented due to many
intended at financing the building envelope
interfaces, which further results
measures, but at supporting the entire retro-
in problems of communication,
fit operation.
planning, coordination and exe-
cution. Opportunities for econo-
mies of scale are missed.
 Business Models & Finance  Description – possible business models 29

The market intermediation model is another

relatively common business model for resi-
dential retrofit. The main difference between
this model and the single building client
model is an extra player in the market: an in-
termediary organisation that coordinates
the supply chain (e.g. energy audit, pooling
contractors, coordinating installation, quality
control) and provides one aggregated cus-
tomer interface, which therefore largely sim-
plifies the customer journey and unburdens
the building owner. However, in this model,
there is still a customer interface between the
finance provider and the building owner. This
model usually involves the implementation
of government subsidy schemes focused on
single measures and uses estimates of the as-
sociated energy cost and carbon savings from
a basic energy audit. Typically, in this model,
local municipalities or NGOs can play a crucial
intermediary role in providing trustworthy in-
formation and guidance towards the building
owners.

For instance, in the mySmartLife project, lo-

cal municipalities (Nantes, Helsinki and Ham-
burg) act as the retrofitting project promoter,
and partially as an intermediary to facilitate
the connections between building owners
and different service providers.
 Business Models & Finance  Description – possible business models 30

The one-stop-shop (OSS) model builds on

the previous scheme and further unburdens
the customer by integrating the whole supply
chain, including the financing solution, into
a single point of contact for the customer.
Thus, a single contractor can offer the full-ser-
vice package related to the energy retrofitting,
including consulting, energy audit, renovation
work, follow-up and financing. The holistic ap-
proach bundles different resources and servic-
es into one comprehensive package and de-
livers it to the end customer via one interface.
This model is emerging or has been well es-
tablished in many countries:
Denmark launched the “Better Home” programme, a one-stop-shop
counselling through all of the building process to remove barriers and
make the retrofitting simpler, easier and manageable for building
owners;
In France, the region of Picardie launched a pilot project “Picardie Pass
Rénovation”, offering an integrated service (technical, financial and in-
formational assistance) for the energy retrofit of residential buildings;
Bolig Enøk, a Norwegian pilot project, developed a “project man-
ager”-approach: building owners employ a “project manager”, who
provides technical analysis, recommendations and project manage-
ment of the full renovation process.
More examples can be found in a dedicated EC report.
 Business Models & Finance  Description – possible business models 31

A model close to the one-stop-shop is based

on an Energy Service Company (ESCO), and
the most common variants of services de-
livered are Energy Performance Contracting
(EPC) and Energy Supply Contracting (ESC).
As with the OSS, the whole supply chain is
integrated.
The EPC model offers its customers guaran-
teed performance or savings, usually within
a certain period. Customers are guaranteed
ESCOs and EPC can play an important role in improving
with certain performance levels of specif-
energy efficiency and driving energy efficiency investments
ic services, for instance, a constant indoor
at the market level.
room temperature or hot water temperature
throughout the year. Main differences between the ESCO and the one-stop-
Under the ESC model, an ESCO supplies en- shop models are:
ergy, such as electricity and heat to a building • ESCOs tend to approach individual building owners
owner or user through a long-term contract. whereas a one-stop-shop typically addresses
EPC thus goes beyond ESC: ESC guarantees collective/upscaled retrofit in a given geographical
energy supply, while EPC is a business model area;
for energy savings. The goal is to avoid wast- • ESCOs are mostly private market players whereas an
ing energy and to invest the savings in energy OSS will typically be initiated and managed by one
efficiency. or more local or regional authorities, utilities or other
institutions with a public interest mission;
The ESCO typically offers customized energy
• ESCOs will mostly rely on private financing whereas
contracting packages that contain planning,
an OSS may tap into publicly supported schemes
execution, operation, and maintenance el-
with specific investment banks, soft loans or similar;
ements. In addition, it also manages energy
• Resultantly ESCOs target interventions with shorter
purchasing and financing of the various pro-
payback times (commonly up to 10-15 years)
jects. A status review of current ESCOs and
whereas an OSS can, through public or institutional
EPC in various European countries has been
financing schemes, allow for longer payback times.
published by the EC.
 Business Models & Finance  Description – possible business models 32

This implies that for deep retrofit, with

payback times that may amount to several The main families of busi-
decades, the OSS comes with an advantage ness models as identified in
compared to the ESCOs as they operate in the STUNNING project. Note
the market today. that business models based
Business models based on financial incenti- on new revenue go beyond
vation can derive from the use of available building envelope retrofit
government support. For example, building and include, for example,
owners can obtain a tax reduction or receive installing RE installations or
subsidies when conducting certain energy extending the building while
retrofitting measures. Soft loans may be con- retrofitting it.
sidered as another form of financial incentive.
They come at advantageous conditions and
may be issued by a bank or fund with a pub-
lic interest character. They are by definition
destined to specific investments – in this case
the retrofit measures.
Business models based on innovative financ-
ing schemes are built upon programs that
help to break down the high upfront cost
barriers.
Financial institutions (and utility companies)
can play an essential role in providing finan-
cial products for boosting energy improve-
ments in buildings. Various innovative financ-
ing schemes are emerging in the market. For
instance, with on-bill financing, a utility pro-
vides capital to a homeowner for insulation,
whereas homeowners repay the on-bill loan
(issued by the utility) through an extra fee on
the utility bill. Source: Stunning project: Sustainable business models for
the deep renovation of buildings – Final Publication
 Business Models & Finance  Description – possible business models 33

Financial barriers:
The following financial barriers remain to
be addressed in any of the retrofit business
models:
• The upfront cost of building envelope
retrofit stays high, especially compared
to the more affordable renewable energy
production solutions (like PV, solar boil-
ers, heat pumps,…). Hereby the building
envelope retrofit must be deep enough in
order to render the building sufficiently fu-
ture-proofed. If the (financial) burden is too
high for realising this at once, a stepped
approach following a building roadmap
may be followed.

• Long payback time and negative net pres-

ent value: the payback time could be up
to the range of 30-50 years or even longer.
Current low energy costs (gas and electric-
ity) add to the challenge. There is, in gen-
eral, still a lack of comprehensive financing
systems that are aligned with the specif-
ic needs of the homeowners. In addition,
classical financing schemes are usually
risk-averse and do not, or very conserva-
tively, consider energy savings and the re-
lated financial returns.
 Building Envelope Retrofit Solution Booklet April 2020 34

SOCIETAL & USER

ASPECTS
 Societal and user aspects  Gaining stakeholder support & engagement 35

SOCIETAL AND USER

ASPECTS

Photo in Mercurey, France by Mael BALLAND on Unsplash

Gaining stakeholder support &
engagement
Leveraging on primary and secondary benefits
Homeowners and -occupants can substantially bene-
fit from building envelope retrofit, in multiple dimen-
sions. These can be primary (directly related to energy
use) or secondary (co-benefits for the building owner,
for the occupant and for the wider society and the
environment):

Economic benefits: envelope retrofit reduces Use benefits:

the heating/cooling demand, which brings
• Thermal comfort: envelope retrofit increases thermal
a lower operational cost, and potentially re-
comfort without excessively relying on thermal and
duces initial investment costs due to the re-
electrical systems operation;
duced equipment size being required (e.g.
• Acoustical comfort: suitable insulation materials can
a less powerful heating installation). Ener-
potentially reduce the noise levels and improve the
gy-efficient buildings reduce energy depend-
indoor acoustical comfort;
ency and risks of energy poverty. They realise
• Indoor air quality: proper design and installation of
higher values on the real estate market.
thermal insulation (in combination with the necessary
ventilation strategies) can help preventing indoor air
quality problems, for example resulting from conden-
sation, humidity and mould or from draughts through-
out the building;
• Fire protection: non-combustible insulation materials
can slow the spread of the flames in case of fire.
 Societal and user aspects  Gaining stakeholder support & engagement 36

Norwood, United Kingdom by Jenny Hill on Unsplash

Granada, Spain by Victoriano Izquierdo on Unsplash
Environmental benefits: envelope retrofit Societal benefits: envelope retrofit helps to
further results in environmental benefits as improve indoor quality and health, produc-
reliance on energy usage with the associat- tivity of occupants, comfort and well-being in
ed sourcing impacts and emitted pollutants more general terms.
is reduced. The latter holds in particular for
This leads to noticeable reductions of the cost
greenhouse gas emissions, but also for other
of labour (for enterprises) and of social and
pollutants resulting from combustion process-
health expenditures (for public authorities).
es (e.g. fine particles).
The reduced environmental impacts men-
Nevertheless, the environmental impact of the tioned higher also lead to societal benefits, in
insulation and construction materials used for particular through climate change mitigation
the retrofit should also be taken into account and preventing the related damage costs.
in order to arrive at a complete environmental In addition, broad societal benefits (e.g. local
impact assessment. job creation and business stimulus, support-
ing the local green economy) are tangible for
the various stakeholders involved in retrofit-
ting projects.
 Societal and user aspects  Gaining stakeholder support & engagement 37

Homeowner engagement
Even though the many benefits are clear, it is still rather
challenging to convince homeowners and get them on
board. The main societal barriers are:
There is a lack of information and awareness of
energy issues;
Homeowners fear about risks and uncertainties;
Homeowners would rather avoid the hassle of
reallocation and/or renovation works;
There is a lack of clear financing and funding
schemes, and it is not easy for homeowners to
get access to them.

Homeowners can be easily discouraged by these known

or even unknown obstacles. Thus, from a societal per-
spective, one key element for upscaling building retrofit
is to engage and involve homeowners. De-burdening the
homeowner is crucial in this perspective.
Analysis has clearly shown the importance of the customer
interface in this engagement process, such as promoting
and marketing building retrofit packages, assisting in the
design, execution and control of the retrofit works and
facilitating funding and financing schemes. On the one
hand, it is essential to motivate and support the build-
ing owners towards well-informed retrofit; on the other
hand, however, it is also important to deliver the advice
and messages in a neutral manner, especially in the case Citizen engagement remains one essential aspect in pro-
of the single customer interface. Only with the transpar- moting and upscaling many smart city solutions.
ent information and non-biased advice, homeowners can
One dedicated SCIS solution booklet is published specifically
make rational decisions towards building retrofitting strat-
to focus on this topic.
egies and interventions.
 Building Envelope Retrofit Solution Booklet April 2020 38

GOVERNANCE
& REGULATION
 Governance & regulation  39

GOVERNANCE & REGULATION

Stakeholders in building retrofitting projects
The successful delivery of energy efficient retrofitting gen- These stakeholders are involved in different stages of
erally involves a complex set of different stakeholders’ inter- the retrofit project. Clear identification of all involved
actions. The main stakeholders of building retrofit projects actors and well-thought communication between
include: them from the early start of the project are key fac-
Home/building owner: owns the existing building tors for success.
or is the client of the retrofit project;
Facility manager: manages the (energy, indoor
climate) facilities in the existing building;
Designer: architects and engineers involved in the
retrofit design phase as well as in control of the
executed works;
Contractor: executor of the retrofit works;
Sub-contractor: subcontracts mainly from
a specific domain on behalf of the main
contractor;
Municipality/Local or Regional Authority/
Government: manages policies, regulations,
subsidies and roadmaps related to retrofit
projects. May set up a One-Stop-Shop or other
support mechanisms;
Financial institution/private or public bank/fund:
provides loans and financial support, directly to
the building owner or via an intermediary vehicle
(ESCO, OSS, energy utility,…);
Energy service provider: energy producers,
distributors, operators, flexibility providers, etc.
 Governance & regulation  40

Regulatory barriers
Regulations and administrative procedures such as for Rebound and prebound
obtaining permits often remain a challenge and may Rebound effect: The increased energy efficiency might
even present obstacles. In particular cases, the architec- come with less energy savings than predicted, due to the
tural and cultural value of buildings protected by law or changed behaviour of the building users after retrofit. For
local regulations, may limit the choice of technical solu- example, the latter may now afford higher indoor temper-
tions and measures, for instance where adding external atures as the building is considered to be energy-efficient
wall insulation or replacing historic window frames and in any case.
glazing is not permitted.
Prebound effect: this is the inverse phenomenon, where
Although there may be little discussion about such pro- the predicted energy use of a badly insulated, not yet ret-
tection for real monuments, other patrimony may be well rofitted building is higher than the actually monitored
worth a trade-off between freezing the historic situation energy use. The reason here is that the building occupants,
on the one hand and improving energy and comfort knowing that the building is energy-hungry, lower their
standards on the other hand. Urban and spatial planning comfort requirements and, for example, do not heat sleep-
rules may lead to similar bottlenecks. This illustrates the ing and circulation zones or limit the temperature level
need for well-balanced policies that break through the in the living spaces below the normal comfort standard.
disciplinary silos.
Geographical differences in legislation might limit the
replication potential of retrofitting measures.
Furthermore, the prohibition of accessing and gathering
home user energy data (e.g. energy consumption, indoor
temperature) adds to the complexity of monitoring and
validating the actual building performance before and af-
ter envelope retrofit (with a view on limiting the rebound
effect).
© Andrada Riglea
 Building Envelope Retrofit Solution Booklet April 2020 41

GENERAL
LESSONS LEARNED
 Lessons learned - Summary  Challenges 42

LESSONS LEARNED -
SUMMARY
Challenges
The EU building stock is currently facing challeng- Energy efficiency is one important aspect, however rarely considered
es that prevent the upscaled implementation of as the top priority of home- or building owners in the decision mak-
energy efficiency measures in buildings. From an ing towards retrofit. In general, there is a lack of awareness of the
economic, technical, social and governance per- energy related issues. Drivers that may motivate or ‘drag in’ better and
spective, the barriers are identified and summa- deeper energy retrofitting include:
rized as follows:
Building envelope retrofit requires large upfront in- Having to undergo renovation or some other kind
vestments and only pays back on the long to very of works (e.g. new kitchen/bathroom, periodic
repair of roofs and facades,…);
long time, up to the range of 30-50 years and even
more. Building owners often lack the investment
Change of building ownership;
means, as well as the investment horizon for under-
taking such endeavours;
Planned building expansion;
There is still a lack of comprehensive financing sys-
tems that are sufficiently aligned with the specific Wishing to improve indoor comfort;
needs of the home- or building owners. The atomized
ownership structure remains another barrier for up- Desire to have an environmental-friendly house;
scaled decision making towards retrofit investments
and their actual financing; Deep retrofit may be more cost-effective than
demolition and rebuild;
There is a shortage of (qualitative) labour force in
the building sector. The complexity of the retrofitting
High and growing energy bills;
works brings technical and logistic challenges that
need a highly skilled address.
Increasing real estate and aesthetic value of
property.
 Lessons learned - Summary  Recommendations 43

Recommendations
Unburdening the home or building owner is a pri- Technically speaking, envelope
ority. This can be realised by integrating the whole insulation is a valid first step in
supply chain into a single customer interface and achieving energy efficiency, but it
by continuously engaging, motivating and support- is not enough. The combination
ing home/building owners towards well-informed of thermal insulation and oth-
retrofit. er retrofit measures makes the
overall retrofitting package. Such
Municipalities and local governments can play an es-
retrofit packages can either be
sential role as facilitator and regulator in promoting
done all in one go or incremen-
energy efficient retrofitting and upscaling retrofit in
tally in a step-by-step approach.
the longer term. Well-balanced policies that break
Partial retrofit, however, without
through the disciplinary silos will help to arrive at
overall plans tailored to individu-
optimal, holistic solutions.
al buildings, may clash with later
The optimal financing methods for retrofitting may necessary measures. Inadequate
be different from classical mortgages or loans. In- improvement of parts of a build-
novative financing schemes from both public and ing may thus result in an end to
private sources are needed to lower the financial further improvements (lock-in ef-
threshold for building owners. The chosen business fect), which shall be avoided.
model in the retrofit project should be tailored to
Identifying relevant networks
the targeted market segment.
and communication channels,
There is an urgent need in improving the quality and especially in the early stages, is
quantity of labour force in the EU building indus- necessary for homeowner en-
try. Delivering qualitative work and good support gagement and awareness devel-
towards homeowners is essential to ensure their en- opment during the decision-mak-
gagement. ing process. Promoting and
marketing retrofitting should not
be only energy efficiency centred;
the associated secondary bene-
fits, such as health and wellbeing,
should be highlighted as well. Retrofitting in Amsterdam © City-zen
 Building Envelope Retrofit Solution Booklet April 2020 44

USEFUL
DOCUMENTS
 Useful documents  45

USEFUL DOCUMENTS
SCC project websites and deliverables on building (envelope) retrofit:
MySMARTLife:
Retroffiting in Ile de Nantes
Retrofitting in Bergedorf-Süd
Replicate:
Retrofiting in San Sebastian
Retrofitting in Florence
REMOURBAN:
Technical insights: District Retrofitting
Technical insights: Retrofitting
Lighthouse cities: Valladolid
Lighthouse cities: Nottingham City Overview
Lighthouse cities: Tepebasi City Overview
MatchUp:
Retrofitting actions summary
Retrofitting in Valencia
IRIS:
Retrofitting in Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur
SmartEnCity:
District Retrofitting Monitoring Programme
Sonderborg Building Retrofitting
Vitoria Gasteiz Retrofitting
Tartu Retrofitting
Sonderborg Retrofitting
GrowSmarter:
Retrofitting in Barcelona
Retrofitting in Stockholm
Retrofitting in Cologne
 Useful documents  46

More on insulation materials:

Performance characteristics and practical applications
of common building thermal insulation materials

More on business models:

Sustainable business models for deep energy retrofitting of buildings:
state-of-the-art and methodological approach
Key aspects of building retrofitting:
Strategizing sustainable cities
Business models for residential retrofit in the UK:
a critical assessment of five key archetypes
CONTRIBUTION

SCIS
The Smart Cities Information System (SCIS) is
a knowledge platform to exchange data, ex-
perience and know-how and to collaborate on
the creation of smart cities, providing a high
quality of life for its citizens in a clean, energy
efficient and climate friendly urban environ-
ment. SCIS brings together project developers,
cities, research institutions, industry, experts
and citizens from across Europe.
SCIS focuses on people and their stories –
bringing to life best practices and lessons
learned from smart projects. Through story-
telling, SCIS portrays the “human element” of
changing cities. It restores qualitative depth
to inspire replication and, of course, to spread
the knowledge of smart ideas and technolo-
gies - not only to a scientific community, but
also to the broad public!
smartcities-infosystem.eu

SCIS is funded by
the European Union