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To present date, building retrofit and enhancement interventions tend to focus in either energy efficiency or seismic resilience techniques, highlighting the lack of consistent language and understanding across both fields; as well as the disconnection amongst stakeholders that arises from the development of seismic risk mitigation independently of...
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... The concern for seismic risk and its differentiated distribution in the territorial and urban context creates asymmetries in the map of spatial and temporal disadvantages, respectively, due to the different conformations of the built heritage and to the diversified perception of risk by residents and administration [52][53][54][55][56]. Similarly, the energy issue, especially in the background of its double dimensions-the general one, concerning the reduction of the climate change effects, and the specific one, the issue of the energy-building poverty-creates further aspects of urban imbalance, triggering filtering down processes in the disadvantaged districts [57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65]. ...
The research deals with the issue of the seismic and energy retrofit of historic building fabrics having as reference a historic district of Syracuse (Italy). The prospect of the ecological transition on the one hand and the public support funding on the other claim for a valuation programming approach implying the creation of multiple scenarios, each of which is inspired by a different and complementary degree of “saliency and urgency”. These two dimensions of “being worth” by a building aggregation having an its own shape and belonging to a larger and more complex urban system need to be addressed according to some axiological reference, in this case, the concerns of the efficiency and fairness of public spending. This experience concerns the creation of a value-based programming pattern of the seismic–energy retrofit process framed in a Building Information Modelling (BIM) environment aimed at identifying the best intervention strategy among the several ones that can be generated in the logic of the parametric design. Both seismic and energy retrofit expected performances, in fact, can be scaled, complementing the extension and intensity of the interventions. This experiment takes advantage of the BIM multidimensional logic in line with the multiple scales and purposes implied by the relationships between individual/communal axiological profiles and present/future prospects. The experiment consists of the creation of an additive cost-oriented design platform based on which the different and progressive combinations of intensity and extension of the interventions can be compared and selected.
... This classification results in a consistent metric called the Green and Resilient Indicator (GRI), which can be used to determine investment potential. Using the GRI is feasible to compare the energy efficiency and seismic resilience, and investing in both approaches concurrently yields more benefits than investing in just one [38]. A comprehensive approach to building renovation is necessary, considering seismic and energy performance, and considering factors such as the effectiveness of current solutions, the level of invasiveness, the extent of building use disruption, and the environmental impact. ...
The retrofitting of existing buildings is crucial for improving their structural safety, reducing damage, and enhancing energy efficiency while maintaining their distinctive features. Seismic retrofitting and thermal energy retrofitting are two effective approaches that can be integrated to achieve enhanced seismic performance and reduced energy consumption. Seismic retrofitting aims to strengthen buildings against seismic forces, while thermal energy one involves measures that enhance the building envelope’s performance to reduce energy consumption. The use of phase change materials (PCMs) in building construction has gained significant attention due to their potential for energy efficiency and sustainability. By correctly incorporating PCMs into construction materials, the thermal performance of existing buildings can be improved while preserving their unique characteristics. The integration of PCMs with structural retrofitting techniques, such as textile-based composites, provides an attractive option for enhancing both seismic and energy retrofitting simultaneously, resulting in improved seismic performance and energy efficiency for existing buildings. Integrated retrofitting is an approach that evaluates the technical and financial aspects of retrofitting to achieve a balance between energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The primary objective of this review paper is to examine the advantages of incorporating PCMs in the process of integrated structural and energy retrofitting. Additionally, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the various retrofitting methods that can be employed to enhance the seismic performance and energy efficiency of existing buildings.
... Several researchers have been focusing on the design of combined/integrated energy and structural retrofitting solutions, acknowledging the importance of improving both performance types towards increased sustainability and the advantage of shared construction activities [2][3][4][5][6]. The benefits of eliminating seismic and energy performance deficiencies of existing buildings through a single intervention have been addressed in different research studies [5,[7][8][9][10]. Experimental campaigns were also carried out very recently to investigate and validate the structural performance when seismic and energy retrofitting techniques are implemented together [11][12][13]. ...
Given the ambitious carbon emission reduction targets, enormous resources are being invested in Europe to foster environmental, economic and social sustainability. An urgent response, foreseen by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is also demanded by the European Commission to all the Member States for the energy requalification of buildings, which are responsible for about 36% of European greenhouse gas emissions. While targeting energy efficiency improvement, many regions are prone to other perils, such as seismic hazard, which might compromise the effective sustainability of the energy requalification. In fact, the innate diversity between regions or countries, which do not share the same seismic risk level and social issues, cannot be overlooked. For this reason, specific indicators should be considered to achieve an appropriate level of resilience (energy, seismic and social) of the overall existing building stock. This paper proposes an integrated framework, specifically calibrated and demonstrated for the Italian residential building stock, applicable to any other region or country, based on primary indicators defined for regional assessment. The framework encompasses single and multi-sectoral indicators, providing different prioritisation patterns and refinement scales, from province to national level. The most updated building fragility models are selected and combined through a logic tree strategy. The space heating energy consumption and CO2 emissions are directly taken from a collection of all the Energy Performance Certificates (APE) of Italian buildings and building units, while national and European indices are used to account for socioeconomic aspects. In addition to the socioeconomic aspects related to the development levels of each region, energy poverty and earthquake risk awareness were also considered as indicators of the socioeconomic vulnerability of regions. The proposed framework and the prioritisation patterns obtained in this work can support relevant stakeholders to foresee economic support and strategic financial planning for seismic strengthening and energy renovation interventions on existing buildings, including socioeconomic features, and favour funding in regions of higher needs.
... A new integrated framework considering both energy and seismic losses was explored for new builds as well as renovation assessments by Negro and Mola (2017), who compared the seismic/energy performance of two low-code three-story building specimens retrofitted with steel jacketing or CFRP through shake-table testing and life-cycle analysis. Calvi et al. (2016) proposed a joined assessment of energy efficiency and seismic resilience using expected annual losses and defining the 'green and resilient indicator' (GRI), which allowed the authors to classify a building's seismic and energy performance. Recent studies (La Greca and Margani 2018, Georgescu et al. 2018, Caruso et al. 2021 identified combined retrofits as being more advantageous from a cost-benefit perspective than a separate structural or energy approaches. ...
This paper investigates the possibilities and challenges of using mass timber as a sustainable alternative for retrofitting existing buildings in Canada. To create the knowledge foundation on which to devise a holistic framework tailored to the specific characteristics of Canada's built environment, a detailed analysis of the types, geographical distribution, structural, and energy features of the local building stock is first presented. Then, previous strategies for enhancing and upgrading existing buildings with engineered timber are reviewed, classified, and evaluated. Finally, to explore economic and environmental implications, a detailed assessment of available life-cycle cost–benefit analysis approaches is conducted alongside their adaptation to Canada's building context. The findings of this paper can inform policymakers, builders, and designers in developing more sustainable building retrofit practices, design, and regulations, in line with Canada's efforts toward net zero emissions.
... Indeed, in earthquake-prone countries, environmental sustainability alone is deemed inadequate for developing a resource-efficient economy [5], as even low-intensities earthquake events can damage and compromise the performance of energy interventions such as External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS) and rooftop solar power systems. Consequently, several past studies in the literature have stressed that energy refurbishment and seismic retrofitting should rather be designed and implemented through an integrated multi-performance approach (e.g., [6,5,7,8,9,10,11,12,13]). To achieve the objective of upgrading the national building stock, the first step is to establish a prioritization plan, based on both the life safety and economic-energy savings that can be achieved with integrated retrofit intervention. ...
In the current practice, the design of energy refurbishment interventions for existing buildings is typically addressed by performing time-consuming software-based numerical simulations. However, this approach may be not suitable for preliminary assessment studies, especially when large building portfolios are involved. Therefore, this research work aims at developing simplified data-driven predictive models to estimate the energy consumption of existing school buildings in Italy and support the decision-making process in energy refurbishment intervention planning at a large scale. To accomplish this, an extensive database is assembled through comprehensive on-site surveys of school buildings in Southern Italy. For each school, a Building Information Modelling (BIM) model is developed and validated considering real energy consumption data. These BIM models serve in the design of suitable energy refurbishment interventions. Moreover, a comprehensive parametric investigation based on refined energy analyses is carried out to significantly improve and integrate the dataset. To derive the predictive models, firstly the most relevant parameters for energy consumption are identified by performing sensitivity analyses. Based on these findings, predictive models are generated through a multiple linear regression method. The suggested models provide an estimation of the energy consumption of the “asbuilt” configuration, as well as the costs and benefits of alternative energy refurbishment scenarios. The reliability of the proposed simplified relationships is substantiated through a statistical analysis of the main error indices. Results highlight that the building's shape factor (i.e., the ratio between the building's envelope area and its volume) and the area-weighted average of the thermal properties of the building envelope significantly affect both the energy consumption of school buildings and the achievable savings through retrofitting interventions. Finally, a framework for the preliminary design of energy refurbishment of buildings, based on the implementation of the herein developed predictive model, is proposed and illustrated through a worked example application.
Worth noting that, while the proposed approach is currently limited to school buildings, the methodology can conceptually be extended to any building typology, provided that suitable data on energy consumption are available.
... These endeavors are aimed at assessing seismic safety and various other performance dimensions, especially environmental impacts and cost-benefit considerations. Consequently, these tools assist in identifying the most suitable integrated designs [18][19][20][21] . While these studies have primarily focused on retrofitting existing buildings, they have demonstrated the promising potential of an integrated approach for improving the safety and sustainability of buildings. ...
Recent natural disasters and climate change-induced extremes emphasize the urgent need to enhance the overall resilience of society by addressing the various hazards that buildings may face. Current design approaches recognize the need for integrated risk assessments, but studies primarily focus on existing buildings and single hazards, neglecting the impact of multiple hazards and resilience quantifications. However, it is crucial to consider multi-hazard scenarios and quantify economic, environmental, and resilience losses to pursue effective solutions from the early-stage design of both new buildings and retrofitting interventions. This paper presents a practical multi-criteria approach to support design decisions for enhanced safety, sustainability, and resilience of buildings against earthquakes and heatwaves. The proposed approach is applied to a commercial building with various seismic-resistant and energy-efficient facades. Non-linear seismic assessments are conducted to predict the potential impact concerning repair costs, carbon emissions, and the resilience loss at the design-level earthquake. Additionally, a whole life-cycle analysis and dynamic energy simulations are performed to calculate the financial and carbon losses resulting from power consumption and the ability of the building to maintain energy efficiency under extreme heat. Finally, the study employs a multi-matrix decision-making approach based on integrated economic, environmental, and resilience losses to guide the design selection. The results demonstrate that earthquake-resistant facades can significantly reduce financial losses by over 50%, with seismic resilience playing a crucial role in the final decision. This approach facilitates more effective investment decisions for building projects, enabling the quantification of the effectiveness of integrated strategies in reducing overall potential losses.
... In fact, about 35% of the current European building stock has exceeded its initially intended service life (typically 50 years for structures of normal importance), 75% is energy inefficient and 70% is vulnerable to earthquake actions. 2 Substandard seismic detailing increases the risk for human casualties and high economic losses due to the damage of existing buildings under high-or moderate-intensity earthquakes. At the same time, energy deficient buildings are responsible for 35% of the total energy consumption in Europe and contribute 38% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. ...
... In the past 5 years, research for the development of integrated seismic and energy retrofitting solutions has received increasing attention. 2,4 This has been largely incentivized by EU policies such as the Green Deal 5 and the Renovation Wave. 6 One promising hybrid approach for the integrated seismic and energy upgrading of existing buildings lies on the combined use of textile reinforced mortars (TRM) and thermal insulation materials. ...
Taking into consideration the seismic vulnerability and the poor energy performance of the European building stock, and the increasing socio‐economic and environmental need for integrating seismic upgrading with energy efficiency improvement, an experimental study involving the lateral load testing of full‐scale one‐story one‐bay masonry infilled RC frames and load‐bearing masonry walls was carried out in the framework of the SupERB research project aiming to investigate the efficiency of integrated seismic and energy upgrading systems. The integrated approach is based on the use of textile reinforced mortar (TRM) overlays combined either with traditional thermal insulation (extruded polystyrene, XPS) or with thermally efficient mortar incorporating phase change material (PCMs). The proposed integrated approach can be applied on the exterior face of the structure, so as to facilitate its application in real structures in the easiest possible way and with minimum disturbance to the inhabitants of the buildings. In this paper, only the structural performance of masonry‐infilled RC frames retrofitted with the proposed integrated approach is presented, while the energy benefits will be presented in a separate paper. Thus, in this paper, the structural performance of an integrated seismic and energy upgrading approach was assessed through five full‐scale one‐story one‐bay masonry infilled RC frames that were retrofitted with different schemes of TRM combined with thermal insulation materials subjected to in‐plane displacement‐controlled cyclic loading. The following parameters were investigated experimentally: the number of TRM overlays (one or two layers of TRM combined with thermal insulation), the use of thermally efficient PCM‐enhanced TRM layer in contrast to the use of conventional XPS insulation, and different retrofitting configurations (placement of the TRM in a sandwich form over and/or under the novel or the traditional insulation). From the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that all energy and seismic upgrading systems examined have a positive impact on the response of the structural system to cyclic loading, with the ones with two layers of TRM having a better performance compared to the ones with one layer of TRM and all of them a better performance than the control specimen. The use of two layers of TRM cancels the drawback of infilled frames, which at very small drifts they reach their maximum capacity and after that they rapidly fall to the capacity of the bare frame, providing capacities above 80% of their peak capacity for drifts up to 2%. In all the tests the TRM whether it was combined with XPS or included PCMs contributed to a better distribution of the cracks in the infill and delayed premature brittle failures. The presence of the TRM had also the advantage that it remained intact throughout the tests preventing the fall of debris out of the plane of the infilled frame, both in the retrofitted and unretrofitted sides.
... Step 4: Energy Prioritization Index (EPI), corresponding to the building energy class. Table 3 Energy classification of buildings depending on their primary energy consumption (Italian building classification, regional specification for Emilia-Romagna) [20] Energy classes derived from the energy analysis categorize the building to the energy prioritization index respectively, indicating the priority order for energy upgrade interventions, as illustrated in Table 4. ...
Due to climate change and the increasing CO2 emissions within the years, the European Union has set up ambitious targets for the decrease of the energy consumption until 2030, promoting funding programs for interventions that increase the energy class of the buildings. In addition, the damage level and the losses after recent earthquake events highlighted the need for pre-earthquake assessment and strengthening of buildings, ensuring life safety and func-tionality. Therefore, several methodologies exist in the literature, proposing seismic classes and a first order prioritization (ranking) system for buildings within an inventory. A second stage assessment is also proposed for the critical buildings of the first ranking, based on risk indexes estimated for selected hazard scenarios and fragility curves. Methodologies and indexes for the combined seismic and energy assessment have also been recently proposed, however, their application is limited to pilot studies and selected inventories. Due to the increased scientific interest on the combined seismic and energy assessment a new methodology has been developed and applied within SURE (Competence Center for Sustainable and Resilient Built Environment). The proposed methodology is based on the fragility curves of buildings and the correlation of hazard (return periods) with the performance levels (limit states) in order to provide an index indicative of the seismic performance for various levels of earthquake intensity and the relevant damage probability, also proposing weighting factors. The safety index is subsequently combined with an energy efficiency index to provide a holistic approach for the seismic and energy assessment. The energy efficiency index is based on the energy consumption level of buildings and their corresponding classification. The energy-safety bilateral indices provide valuable input to support decision-making systems on renovation strategies of private and public building inventories.
... The median AvgSa and dispersion (β) values were modified to account for additional modelling uncertainty [18]; 4. Development of the inventory of damageable components in the building, together with the definition of their potential damage states, expected repair cost and environmental 2076 impact consequences. The presence of the ERMs was accounted for at this stage in terms of additional repair consequences to specific non-structural components due to their significant influence on the loss assessment [19][20][21]. The component inventory used herein was the one developed by Clemett et al. [22]; 5. Estimation of the replacement cost and replacement environmental impacts for the asbuilt and retrofitted configuration of the case-study building. ...
Past earthquakes have highlighted the vulnerability of existing reinforced concrete (RC) buildings, which constitute a large portion of the European building stock, most of which were not designed according to modern seismic codes. Moreover, their energy performance can also be highly unsatisfactory, leading to significant levels of energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The assembling of a retrofitting approach with low environmental impact, capable of integrating increased structural performance with energy efficiency, is thus evermore essential. In this respect, recent studies were carried out with a particular emphasis on incorporating both interventions by identifying the optimal intervention among several feasible alternatives. This study investigates the influence of different climate and hazard conditions on the optimal retrofitting strategy, using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework that includes a range of economic, social, and technical decision variables related to the building’s seismic and energy performance. To this end, a case study application was carried out on a school building representative of such a building typology in Italy. Four seismic retrofitting solutions, each combined with three energy-based interventions, were assessed, considering two seismic hazard levels - medium and high - and three distinct climate conditions - cold, mild and warm. Finally, for each combination of seismic hazard and climate condition, an MCDM framework was employed to identify the optimal combination of seismic and energy-efficiency retrofitting schemes and the overall ranking of the different alternatives, aiming to investigate the influence of seismic hazard level and climate conditions on the optimal choice of a retrofitting intervention.
... This is a key aspect that will allow achieving acceptable levels of structural safety and will assist towards attaining the ambitious EU energy-saving and decarbonization goals. In the past five years, research for the development of integrated seismic and energy retrofitting solutions has received increasing attention [1,2]. This has been largely incentivized by EU policies such as the Green Deal [3] and the Renovation Wave [4]. ...
The current European building stock is both earthquake-prone and heavily energy-consuming since the vast majority of buildings have been designed before the introduction of modern energy and seismic codes, having almost exhausted their initially intended service life and high operational energy consumption. Taking into consideration the seismic vulnerability of older buildings and the increasing need to reduce their energy consumption, there is an urgent need for sustainable seismic and energy upgrading of existing buildings.The concept of the combined seismic and energy retrofitting of existing reinforced concrete (RC) buildings using textile-reinforced mortars (TRM) and thermal insulation was examined in this study through an experimental campaign in the SupERB project. Five large-scale tests were carried out on masonry-infilled RC frames as built and retrofitted with different schemes of TRM combined with thermal insulation materials under in-plane cyclic loading. The results of testing are presented and compared in terms of the efficiency of the proposed different schemes of TRM combined with thermal insulation materials to enhance the strength and deformation capacity of masonry-infilled RC frames.From the results obtained in this study, it was concluded that the TRM can be combined effectively with thermal insulation materials to increase the overall strength, deformation capacity, ductility and energy efficiency of the masonry-infilled RC frame buildings.Keywordsmasonry-infilled RC framescyclic loadingseismic and energy retrofittingtextile-reinforced mortarthermal insulation
