Energy retrofit of residential buildings: A multifunctional toolkit

HEART - an innovative EU H2O20 funded project - recently took off with the goal of concretely tackling technical, economic and social aspects related to climate change and building energy consumptions. HEART, which stands for Holistic Energy and Architectural Retrofit Toolkit, aims at developing a multifunctional retrofit toolkit where different subcomponents - ICT, BEMS, HVAC, BIPV and Envelope Technologies - cooperate synergistically to transform an existing building into a Smart Building. Based on a whole-building performance approach, the toolkit is conceived to achieve extremely high levels of energy efficiency in the existing residential building stock, with particular reference to Central and Southern Europe, where climate change and energy transition have boosted electricity consumption peaks both during summer and winter seasons. The Toolkit provides energy saving, energy fluxes optimization, data exchange, stakeholders' active involvement and Smart Grid interactivity. Interoperable building technologies and installations are also integrated: envelope solutions (thermal insulation and windows) ensure a reduction of thermal loads, while technical systems (BEMS, BIPV, heat pump, fan-coils, power controller, storage systems) ensure energy efficiency and RES exploitation. All technical systems and building components within the toolkit are structured as a function of their affordability, interactivity, practicality, reduced installation time and noninvasiveness.