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This article describes the reallocation of space and construction of a new adult shock trauma intensive care unit implementing methods to mitigate the environmental impact. The environmental burden was reduced through innovative reallocation of space and diversity of lighting sources. Circular economy principles were implemented which enabled much of the infrastructure materials to be reused. Collaboration among interdisciplinary health care teams, such as described in this article, helped to ensure expertise was shared so that the environmental impact was lessened. This article provides insight into innovative methods to mitigate the carbon footprint of a critical care renovation project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To achieve substantial energy efficiency improvements in the privately owned building stock, it is important to communicate with potential renovators at the right point in time and provide them with targeted information to strengthen their renovation ambitions. The European Union recommends using one-stop-shops (OSSs), which provide information and support throughout the whole process, from planning to acquisition of funding, implementation, and evaluation as a measure to remove unnecessary barriers. Methods: For this paper, we invited visitors of two Norwegian websites with OSS characteristics to answer an online survey about their renovation plans and energy efficiency ambitions. The participants visited the websites out of their own interest; no recruitment for the websites was conducted as part of the study (N = 437). They also rated a range of psychological drivers, facilitators, and barriers to including energy upgrades in a renovation project. Their answers were then compared to existing data from representative samples of Norwegian households regarding home renovation in 2014, 2018, and 2023, as well as data from a sample of people who were engaged in renovation projects in 2014, which was collected by the research team with a similar online survey. Furthermore, 78 visitors completed a brief follow-up online survey one year later to report the implemented measures. Results: We found that visitors of the websites are involved in more comprehensive renovation projects and have substantially higher ambitions for the upgrade of energy efficiency compared to the representative samples. They also perceive stronger personal and social norms, as well as have a different profile of facilitators and barriers. Discussion: The findings suggest to policymakers that OSSs should be marketed especially to people motivated to upgrade energy efficiency but lack information and are unable to implement their plans alone. Also, the construction industry might refer interested people to such low-threshold online solutions to assist informed and more ambitious decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Nearly 75% of newly diagnosed cancer patients in the United States will receive care from a hospital that is accredited by the Commission on Cancer (CoC). To support hospitals in their quality assurance efforts, the CoC maintains a portfolio of quality measures to give hospitals compliance data with select best practices for cancer care. As the CoC quality measures have evolved over recent years, many clinicians may lack awareness of the intent and content of the measure portfolio, as well as the mechanism by which new measures originate. Observations: The CoC quality measures are based on data that hospitals submit to the National Cancer Database, allowing the CoC to track compliance with a subset of consensus best practices. Each year, new measures are designed by diverse teams of specialists in the different treatment modalities for the tumor types covered by the portfolio. These proposed measures are then subjected to a range of vetting, refinement, and prioritization steps before being voted into the portfolio by the Quality Assurance and Data Committee of the CoC. Over the past 4 years, the CoC has worked to renovate not only the portfolio but also the process used to create and launch new measures, revise existing measures, and retire obsolete measures. Conclusion and Relevance: In the following overview, we outline the current measure process, highlight important changes to the portfolio, and share opportunities to further increase the impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We rely on novel textual analysis of real estate listings and identify renovated dwellings in a dataset of Norwegian transactions to estimate the renovation premium in an urban housing market. The renovation premium is estimated in a hedonic framework by classical regression approaches and a random forest algorithm. The strength of the latter is that it allows for a more complex interplay between the renovation premium and explanatory variables. We estimate a significant positive renovation premium of 5–7 percent for renovated dwellings and a negative premium of 9–10 percent for unmaintained/neglected dwellings. These averages mask significant variations in these premiums over time, particularly, a counter-cyclical effect. Omitting renovation information also has implications for estimated short-term house price growth. Unmaintained dwellings tend to transact more in the fourth quarter, indicating that parts of the seasonal price variation reported in the literature are due to compositional variation with respect to renovation. This composition effect bias price movement estimates downward, if uncontrolled for, as unmaintained dwellings transact at significantly lower prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ABI Technik is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In Europe, buildings account for 40% of the energy consumption and produce 36% of CO2 emissions. Renovation could be a great tool to decarbonize the building stock since it allows for a decrease in the operational energy required for buildings and is less material-consuming than new construction. Further benefits are brought by the usage of bio-based insulation materials that can drastically reduce embodied emissions and transform structures into factual carbon sinks. This study focuses on a particular kind of biogenic material, mycelium-wood composites, consisting of organic matter bound by the root structure of fungal organisms. This innovative insulation material was compared with traditional ones for the renovation of the building stock, with a focus on vertical components like walls in the Helsinki metropolitan area. To characterize mycelium-wood composites, density and carbon content information were gathered from the samples realized in the Politecnico di Milano MaBa.SAPERLab, while the production processes were included in a SimaPro model to obtain the GWP value. Different scenarios were then defined by two variables: the renovation rate of the building stock and the market penetration of myceliumwood composites. For each scenario, the overall GWP and CO2 stored values were calculated. Results show the great potential of the innovative material that grants carbon storage in the building stock that could even surpass the amount stored in the 32,500 ha of forest in the area. However, this possibility is heavily influenced by factors independent of the type of insulation used that should be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Methods Results Conclusion The revision procedure for failure of internal fixation after thoracolumbar fracture is controversial. Combined anterior and posterior surgery is associated with higher risk more intraoperative bleeding and tissue damage. The success rate of simple anterior surgery needs further confirmation, and posterior surgery lacks stability of internal fixation. This study evaluates the feasibility and surgical effect of multi‐rod constructs in the revision of thoracolumbar fractures.Eleven patients with thoracolumbar fractures who underwent previous construct failure and were treated with revision and internal fixation with the multi‐rod technique from March 2017 to September 2018 were analyzed. The original internal fixation was removed and replaced in the medial insertion of satellite rods and bone graft. The average follow‐up time was 15.97 months. The intraoperation blood loss, the time of the operation, activation and discharge and the rate of rod fracture were calculated. The sagittal Cobb angle before revision, after revision and at the last follow‐up were compared. The clinical effect was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire (ODI).The average operation time was 107 min, the intraoperative blood loss was 131.81 mL, the active time was 1.59 days, and the discharge time was 10.89 days. No rod fractured again during the follow‐up period.The paired t‐test was used to compare the Cobb angle, VAS score, and ODI before and after surgery. There was significant difference in the sagittal Cobb angle between the pre‐revision and the posterior sagittal position (p = 0.000), and no significant difference was found between post‐revision and last follow‐up (p = 0.551). VAS and ODI were greatly improved at the last follow‐up.The literature on revision of thoracolumbar fractures is insufficient and comprises varying opinions. This paper proposes a new treatment option. The application of the multi‐rod constructs in the revision of thoracolumbar fractures is safe, simple, and effective and might provide guidance for future clinical work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of thermal insulation on thermal comfort and energy consumption in an existing house that did not comply with building regulations. Thermal insulation included adding layers of polystyrene in the ceiling and floor, the areas with the highest heat gain and loss. After renovation, findings demonstrated a 55% reduction in heating energy required for winter. Reduction in air conditioning power was 18% during the summer. Simulations using the DesignBuilder software for the house revealed a 42% and a 17% reduction in the energy needed for heating and cooling. TRNSYS software simulation indicated a 500 kWh average annual energy consumption reduction. Experimental results measurements in two days of summer proved that the indoor temperatures of the house did not exceed 25.1°C and remained stable regardless of changes in external temperatures. Thermal insulation is a promising solution for reducing energy consumption and achieving thermal comfort in buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban land use multi-objective optimization aims to achieve greater economic, social, and environmental benefits by the rational allocation and planning of urban land resources in space. However, not only land use reconstruction, but renovation, which has been neglected in most studies, is the main optimization direction of urban land use. Meanwhile, urban land use optimization is subject to cost constraints, so as to obtain a more practical optimization scheme. Thus, this paper evaluated the renovation and reconstruction costs of urban land use and proposed a cost-heuristic genetic algorithm (CHGA). The algorithm determined the selection probability of candidate optimization cells by considering the renovation and reconstruction costs of urban land and integrated the renovation and reconstruction costs to determine the direction of optimization so that the optimization model can more practically simulate the actual situation of urban planning. The reliability of this model was validated through its application in Shenzhen, China, demonstrating that it can reduce the cost consumption of the optimization process by 35.86% at the expense of sacrificing a small amount of economic benefits (1.18%). The balance of benefits and costs enhances the applicability of the proposed land use optimization method in mature, developed areas where it is difficult to demolish buildings that are constrained by costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses issues related to the behavior of powertrains understood as monuments of engineering art. The theoretical part analyzed the most important issues related to the maintenance and renovation of vehicles, their share in Poland in the age category, as well as the regulations regarding the classification of historic vehicles. The next part of the article presents the renovation process of two powertrains – the K-750 motorcycle and the Volkswagen Type 117 passenger car, along with a short production history. Then, recommended procedures for unique objects were discussed in the context of their state of preservation and occurrence based on the authors' experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The facades of buildings stand as one of the most influential aesthetic elements in urban and rural districts, serving as a boundary between exterior and interior while historically expressing various cultural and climatic functions. In Mazandaran Province, Iran, historical and rural areas have often been overlooked, leading to inappropriate approaches in reusing and renovating these buildings without considering their values. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of the facades of various historical and rural houses to provide a solid foundation for architects dealing with their reuse and renovation or the design of extensions to the existing buildings. In addition to discussing practical applications, this paper offers a methodological approach for scholars active in the field of rural architecture. The research method includes an analysis of several historical houses, drawing from both literature and field studies. The formal approach has been chosen to align with the research goal. The sixteen selected cases are situated in the historical and rural districts of Alasht, Lafour, Qaemshahr, each built in different historical periods of Iran. Given that many historical houses in this area are not officially listed as heritage buildings and no data regarding them are available, the researchers conducted field surveys and interviews with residents to collect the necessary information. The investigation focused on facade elements, including the pattern of openings and the materials used in the selected houses. This research led to the documentation of the facade shapes in the rural areas of Mazandaran Province, highlighting the necessity of documentation to establish a knowledge base before reuse, renovation, or design within these historic regions. This approach could serve as a model for other regions and countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preserving the built heritage, maintaining the original exteriors of historic apartment buildings, and achieving today's living standards and ambitious environmental objectives require a multidisciplinary approach encompassing cultural, economic, legal, social, environmental and historical factors. This study aims to assess the need for renovation and the cultural and environmental value of historic apartment buildings. Architects, conservators and civil engineers have been involved to evaluate the authenticity of materials and forms, their technical condition and suitability to the historic urban milieu across 19 building components. Our findings reveal significant replacement activities in various elements such as roof coverings, roof eaves, façades, stairwell windows, stairwells, exterior doors, and window and frame distribution, with a particular focus on materials rather than geometry. Notably, there is often a lack of original materials of the windows. When comparing materials and geometries, we observed a higher frequency of material replacement. While the immediate need for intervention may not be urgent, many historic apartment buildings are at risk of imminent material deterioration, necessitating timely renovation. The deep renovation approach, which extends the service life, enhances energy efficiency and indoor climate and restores the exterior aesthetics, offers a threefold benefit. However, aligning the current reconstruction requirements with the preservation of milieu values may remain ambiguous, leading homeowners to resist or overlook these obligations. Consequently, a culture of step-by-step (staged) renovation emerges, contributing to an eclectic appearance of the historically valuable area and promoting the use of inappropriate materials. In conclusion, this research emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to building renovation, which yields architecturally superior and technically sustainable outcomes. The current study underscores the necessity for a shift in the authorized heritage discourse in Estonia. Rather than primarily imposing restrictive measures on construction and renovation projects, the focus should pivot towards effective communication of historical values. It is crucial to provide support and guidance (not restrictions) to building owners, designers and builders in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaching sustainability targets requires a holistic understanding of the different dimensions of residential building stock development. This paper aims to provide a solid and transparent approach for modelling residential building stock development with a focus on the long-term need for repairs and renovations. The modelling approach is based on Dynamic Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and the model is constructed using comprehensive Finnish statistics. Still, it is widely applicable to different geographical locations and modifiable for various purposes. The main contributions to the previous literature are the incorporation of empirical building mortality analysis and rehabilitation degree model in the MFA modelling framework. The model is demonstrated by modelling the development of Finnish residential building stock from 2020 to 2050. The annual average need for renovation from 2020 to 2050 is 4.1 million residential square metres (1.8% percent of the entire housing stock), equalling to annual investments of some 7.8 billion euros. However, the results revealed notable geographical differences between municipality categories. The results also suggest that the proportion of renovations in the total construction market is increasing while the volume of new housing construction is decreasing. The modelled results are in line with the Finnish Long-Term Renovation Strategy 2020–2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines official negotiation methods behind the renovation and simultaneous use of the Staré Hrady castle between 1949 and 1993, as an example of the rescue of a cultural monument in communist Czechoslovakia. It is concerned with the mechanisms of actor-institutional communication at regional level at work within the broader circumstances prevailing in then Czechoslovakia, arguing that this negotiation was in fact the driving force behind the successful reconstruction of this castle after many years of expert-led volunteer work.

This paper contributes to the wider discourse on sustainability and housing by showing how the dynamics of temporality and care plays out in processes of renovation. We explore five empirical cases of renovation of rental housing estates on the outskirts of Gothenburg, Sweden. Our study draws on the analysis of documents, observations, and qualitative interviews with key actors. We consider renovation a caring practice, both in the practical sense of “caring for” and in the emotional and ethical sense of “caring about”. We argue that conflicts between stakeholders in renovation processes are better understood through attending to the ways in which notions of care are intertwined with the temporal organization of peoples’ lives and organizational processes. We conclude that unawareness or negligence towards the various temporalities involved in renovation processes provide obstacles for collective processes of caring and raising sustainability concerns in renovation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older buildings are often vilified for alleged poor energy performance. This discussion has, however, been limited to operational energy, rather than whole-life carbon. This paper compares both embodied and operational carbon emissions of building preservation to new construction. Methodologically, it relies on consequential replacement LCA. Using a representative 1950s school building as a case study, a locally heritage-listed example of Modernist architecture, four retention scenarios are devised. The scenarios represent different approaches towards repair needs, cost implications, time horizons of refurbishment, and conserving the building's architectural-historical value. For the contemporary new build, two scenarios are developed based on a case study school building completed in 2018. They differ by the material of the structural frame (concrete or cross-laminated timber). The concrete-framed alternative corresponds to the present business as usual, whereas the wooden alternative represents a competing lower-carbon technology. The study was conducted in Finland, i.e. a cold continental climate. In such conditions, operational energy consumption is significant for a building's carbon footprint. Nevertheless, the findings show that building preservation results in lower emissions than new construction in most of the scenarios. The climate change mitigation potential of building preservation is significant at the scale of singular buildings and the building stock scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The racecourse "Kerepesi Ügető" in Budapest was closed in 2000, and all of its buildings were demolished except for the Class II Grandstand, which had been declared a national monument earlier. Our task was to perform a comprehensive static investigation of this grandstand and to develop a methodology for structural strengthening in order to preserve this monument for future generations. Investigations included in situ measurements, laboratory material tests, and finite‐element analysis of the structure. According to the results of static calculations, the method of strengthening was proposed, which included the injection of cracks, integration of new structural elements, application of concrete jacketing, and bonded carbon‐fiber‐reinforced polymer sheets. The applied strengthening and renovation method extended the lifespan of the grandstand by 50 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings are responsible for around 45% of total energy consumption and one-third of CO2 emissions annually in Switzerland. Policymakers have argued that an increased rate of energy-saving retrofits in existing buildings will play a critical role in meeting the energy and climate policy goals. This article examines the determinants for the households' investment decisions to undertake energy-efficient retrofits and investigates the role of policy measures. We estimate random effects probit models using a rich data for 1663 owned single-family Swiss households for retrofits undertaken during 2010 to 2014. Results suggest that while the building vintage appears to be a relevant determinant; energy-related attitudes of decision makers and policy instruments are also likely to play an important role. In particular, we find a suggestive evidence of tax deduction policy in supporting households' decisions to undertake energy-saving retrofits as well as the intensity of renovation. Direct monetary policies such as tax deductions should be focused particularly upon poorly insulated old buildings and those that rely on non-renewable energy sources for heating purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objectives of this study were the energy assessment of detached houses built in different periods in a central European city. A total of 236 detached houses built between 1930 and 2023 in Debrecen (Hungary) were analyzed from an energy perspective, and their CO2 emissions were measured. It was found that the net floor area of family houses built in recent years has increased but that the compactness of buildings has increased as well. The specific heat loss coefficient and the specific energy demand for heating in new buildings have decreased to 15.2% and 18.5%, respectively, over the last 90 years. Furthermore, around one third of the analyzed buildings built several decades ago must have already been renovated at least once for energy efficiency, as their heat demands are 27.6–41.4% lower than estimated. Energy consumption in six houses built in recent years was measured and studied. It was found that the occupants' behavior may increase CO2 emissions from heating by 26%, while CO2 emissions from hot-water preparation may decrease by 38.2%. The potential of the locally available sources of renewable energy was calculated, and the costs of decarbonization packages for eight building groups were evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Yegah Musicology Journal / Yegah Müzikoloji Dergisi is the property of International Yegah Music Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this article, comprehensive insights into the field of building maintenance, emphasizing the importance of keywords, collaborative efforts among authors, and the evolving research landscape, are provided. The use stage, as the longest phase in a building's life cycle, involves economic, technical, and social activities. Numerous authors have contributed to the broader topic of building maintenance, covering aspects such as maintenance prioritization, improvement actions, decision-making guidelines, factors affecting success, cost estimation models, and BIM usage in maintenance. The study conducts a thorough literature review using Scopus as a search engine, employing the full-counting method for authorship, and uses VOSviewer 1.6.20 software for bibliometric analysis to identify gaps and outline future research directions. The results reveal distinct data sets focusing on building maintenance from general to specific, with each set reflecting unique aspects and considerations. Bibliometric maps illustrate author collaboration and keyword connections within each set, highlighting evolving research trends and areas of focus. Overall, the analysis highlights the importance of prioritizing maintenance, integrating technology, and fostering collaboration to enhance building maintenance in educational institutions. The study concludes with recommendations for future research, emphasizing the ongoing need for exploration and development in building maintenance, especially on maintenance strategies and Life Cycle Costs of university buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Builder (1896-0642) is the property of PWB MEDIA Zdzieblowski sp.j. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study explores the renovation of housing governed by two tenure forms in Sweden, rental and cooperative housing. Based on a relational approach, we argue that despite requiring a similar need of maintenance at regular intervals, renovation in rental housing takes a substantially different form compared to cooperatives, regarding the extent of the work, the involvement of, and the outcome for, the residents. With the concept of predatory housing commodification, we aim at examining how the process of housing renovation is organized, what driving forces motivate renovations, along with how it impacts affected residents. Our contribution is twofold: firstly, we conceptualize renovation of housing as a commodifying process, within the realm of financialization, most often carried out brutally and contributing to housing inequality; secondly, our contribution is empirical as it covers housing renovation from a relational and contrasting perspective in a field that is still under-studied in the Scandinavian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Architectus is the property of Oficyna Wydawnicza Politechniki Wroclawskiej and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The COVID-19 pandemic that started in early 2020 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 caused multidimensional shocks to the housing market. Understanding their micro-level impact is crucial to optimizing future responses to similar shocks, designing sustainable urban and socioeconomic policies, and investing. Based on the hedonic Spatial Error Model for the local housing rental market in Poland, during the pandemic, the valuation of the leisure-related apartment characteristics (the availability of a balcony and a private garden) increased. As tenants spent more time at home or in their neighbourhood, the proximity of housing to green areas became increasingly important, and the relevance of proximity to university buildings decreased. Then, amidst the war, a reluctance to use gas heating has been noticed. Combined with the observed price premium for the location of apartments in revitalised tenement houses, this means that the modernisation of the historic housing stock is not only ecologically desired, but also is capitalised in the achieved rents. The rent change throughout the pandemic has been estimated at -6.7%, while during the war-related crisis, at +29.7%. Finally, low sensitivity of hedonic rent indices to the detected changes in rent-setting factors has been found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the influence of various factors on the choice of the concept of reconstruction and restoration of public buildings and territories. The main factors are determined: the degree of destruction of the building; function, its relevance and transformation, modernization; the level of significance of the building, territory, place / memorial; influence of the surrounding environment, its condition. For the post-war reconstruction, it is proposed to introduce the term: "integral reconstruction", which means a comprehensive individual approach to each case regarding the damaged building and territory. Methodical approaches to the restoration and reconstruction of public buildings and territories that were destroyed as a result of military actions are summarized: full restoration, restoration in its original form or in a form at a certain historical moment, without later architectural interventions; "Integral reconstruction", which combines various approaches in a certain proportion; A completely new construction, the site is perceived as a free zone without a historical basis. An experimental project for the reconstruction of the Railway Station and Multifunctional Eco-Center in the city of Kremenchuk, where destructions occurred due to war, is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renovating buildings with cultural heritage significance is an important step toward achieving sustainability in our cities. The benefits are not only energy-related but also encompass social aspects that make these renovations a high apriority. The present work investigates the renovation process of a cultural heritage building in the Municipality of Trento in Italy, specifically focusing on achieving energy savings and renewable energy integration by implementing various renovation actions. These renovation actions include improvements to the building envelope, such as roof insulation and window replacements. Additionally, the renovation actions for active systems involve the installation of a ground-source heat pump for heating/cooling coupled with a borehole thermal energy storage system, which is an innovative technology for the renovation of cultural heritage buildings. The electrical systems of the building are upgraded through the addition of standard rooftop photovoltaics, innovative building-integrated photovoltaics (shingles), and the installation of an LED lighting system. The baseline and the renovation scenarios are studied using the dynamic simulation tool INTEMA.building, written in the programming language Modelica. This tool simulates both the building envelope and the energy systems with a high level of detail, using advanced control systems and adjustable time steps. According to the simulation analysis, the primary energy demand is reduced by 30.49%, the final energy demand by 36.74%, and the net electricity demand by 8.72%. Results from this study can be useful to interested stakeholders (e.g., building owners, architects, construction companies, public agents, and urban planners) dealing with the renovation of cultural heritage and protected buildings. Also, the results can be exploited for estimating energy savings by applying advanced renovation strategies for cultural heritage buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increase in decoration and renovation activities in the construction industry, and waste generation rates (WGRs) play a crucial role in guiding the management of demolition waste in decoration and renovation projects (DWDRPs). However, there has been little systematic research on this type of waste. Based on site surveys and a document review of 26 projects, this study offers insights into DWDRP wastes, from their initial generation to their final disposal. The results revealed that the WGRs for DWDRPs ranged from 30.96 kg/m2 to 629.96 kg/m2 and that the key components of DWDRPs included mortar, concrete, timber, tile, and metal; these five types of waste contributed 75.02% of the total waste. Although these findings deviate slightly from those of previous studies, these variations are attributed to diverse waste management practices, awareness levels, and employed construction technologies. Despite its importance, in China, the management of DWDRPs faces challenges, such as limited public awareness, inadequate collection and sorting guidance, and insufficient legislation. To counter these issues, we recommend a set of strategies, including stringent regulations, enhanced supervision, government incentives, improved collection and sorting methods, and the adoption of innovative technologies. This study not only sheds light on the specific challenges in decoration and demolition waste management in rapidly urbanizing areas but also proposes a comprehensive approach for improving waste management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionTo achieve substantial energy efficiency improvements in the privately owned building stock, it is important to communicate with potential renovators at the right point in time and provide them with targeted information to strengthen their renovation ambitions. The European Union recommends using one-stop-shops (OSSs), which provide information and support throughout the whole process, from planning to acquisition of funding, implementation, and evaluation as a measure to remove unnecessary barriers.MethodsFor this paper, we invited visitors of two Norwegian websites with OSS characteristics to answer an online survey about their renovation plans and energy efficiency ambitions. The participants visited the websites out of their own interest; no recruitment for the websites was conducted as part of the study (N = 437). They also rated a range of psychological drivers, facilitators, and barriers to including energy upgrades in a renovation project. Their answers were then compared to existing data from representative samples of Norwegian households regarding home renovation in 2014, 2018, and 2023, as well as data from a sample of people who were engaged in renovation projects in 2014, which was collected by the research team with a similar online survey. Furthermore, 78 visitors completed a brief follow-up online survey one year later to report the implemented measures.ResultsWe found that visitors of the websites are involved in more comprehensive renovation projects and have substantially higher ambitions for the upgrade of energy efficiency compared to the representative samples. They also perceive stronger personal and social norms, as well as have a different profile of facilitators and barriers.DiscussionThe findings suggest to policymakers that OSSs should be marketed especially to people motivated to upgrade energy efficiency but lack information and are unable to implement their plans alone. Also, the construction industry might refer interested people to such low-threshold online solutions to assist informed and more ambitious decisions.

In Europe, buildings account for 40% of the energy consumption and produce 36% of CO2 emissions. Renovation could be a great tool to decarbonize the building stock since it allows for a decrease in the operational energy required for buildings and is less material-consuming than new construction. Further benefits are brought by the usage of bio-based insulation materials that can drastically reduce embodied emissions and transform structures into factual carbon sinks. This study focuses on a particular kind of biogenic material, mycelium-wood composites, consisting of organic matter bound by the root structure of fungal organisms. This innovative insulation material was compared with traditional ones for the renovation of the building stock, with a focus on vertical components like walls in the Helsinki metropolitan area. To characterize mycelium-wood composites, density and carbon content information were gathered from the samples realized in the Politecnico di Milano MaBa.SAPERLab, while the production processes were included in a SimaPro model to obtain the GWP value. Different scenarios were then defined by two variables: the renovation rate of the building stock and the market penetration of mycelium-wood composites. For each scenario, the overall GWP and CO2 stored values were calculated. Results show the great potential of the innovative material that grants carbon storage in the building stock that could even surpass the amount stored in the 32,500 ha of forest in the area. However, this possibility is heavily influenced by factors independent of the type of insulation used that should be further investigated.

This work presents the first detailed study of the construction and materials of the Stockholm Public Library. As the building undergoes a rare period of maintenance and renovation, the floors and walls of the library are examined from three perspectives. First, using available but limited archival documents and plans; second, with non-destructive ground-penetrating radar measurements; and finally, through on-site surveys during local interventions for the maintenance and renovation process. The ensuing results emphasize the complementary nature of this combined research approach in recovering lost or forgotten construction details and further reveal several important findings. In the case of the unique wall finishing of the library’s rotunda, multiple layers of lime mortar, each varying in thickness and coarseness, were used to build up and craft the relief-like interior wall surface. With the use of in-situ aerated concrete and prefabricated Solomite panels in the library’s 1931–32 floor construction, a material connection between Asplund and the broader modern movement in architecture is further highlighted. At first glance, these construction-related findings seem to reinforce the common architectural narrative of the library as a transitional project between neoclassicism and modernism. At the same time, however, the library’s separate periods of construction of 1925–28 and 1931–32 and their distinct materials can be seen as a continuity of construction culture, with the innovative use of local raw materials related to the Swedish landscape.

Mortgage lending is one of the most popular, but expensive types of lending. State participation through incentives increases the attractiveness of mortgages, but at the same time leads to sectoral, territorial, and subjective injustice. The study objectives are to determine the reasons for the differentiation of preferential mortgage conditions for different participants, to analyze the consequences of such differentiation, as well as to justify the need and develop regulatory measures in this area. The research used domestic and foreign scientists’ scientific works in the field of preferential mortgage lending, regulatory legal acts and program and strategic documents for the development of the mortgage bank lending market, as well as data generated by the authors on the basis of official statistical materials. Methods of statistical analysis, system-logical analysis, as well as general scientific methods such as induction, deduction and synthesis are used for analytical data processing. The audit of preferential mortgage lending programs revealed discriminatory factors by industry, territorial principles, as well as in relation to borrowers and lenders. Preferential programs should be targeted, conditions should be transparent, and methodological approaches should be the same for all participants involved in the implementation of programs. Differentiation of preferential mortgage lending programs should be regulated by the state, otherwise it may lead to discrimination.

Considering the trend towards climate neutrality and energy efficiency at the global level as well as the problem of high energy poverty at the national level, the issue of housing renovation was inevitable for Latvia in 2023. The main objective of the study is to analyse the situation in Latvia, its problematic aspects and opportunities for the government, as well as to propose possible methods for solving the problem of low rates of housing renovation in Latvia. The main methods used were PESTLE analysis to identify problems and cluster analysis to compare financial opportunities in each country. The main results of the study are the conclusion that the financial aspect of renovation in Latvia is at a satisfactory level and is not the main reason for the unpopularity of renovation, but the main problem is energy poverty. The main conclusion is that renovation in Latvia requires a new approach that can improve the energy efficiency situation in Latvia, and providing such a method in the form of building renovation based on private-public partnership is the possible approach.

Renovation of existing buildings is fundamental to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the building sector and to ensure the efficient operation of renewable heating systems. In multi-family houses, the suitability of heat pumps is limited by high required temperatures for the hot water preparation, which can be mitigated by hybrid heat pump systems. In this study, the energetic performance of a hybrid heat pump in a multi-family house, built in 1964, is investigated based on field data before and after a renovation. Multiple months are measured and mapped to a full year period. The combination of different renovation measures in the heating system and building envelope is rated w.r.t. their ecological and economical impact by taking into account the actual investment costs. The evaluation shows that the installation of a hybrid heat pump can achieve an accumulated greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 45%, which is similar to a building renovation to a new-build standard, which reduces the space heating demand by up to 62%. Nevertheless, only a combination of both measures can substantially reduce the emissions, which in this case are 81% lower compared to a gas boiler in 1990, which is still below the German climate target for 2040. Due to the low investment costs of a hybrid heat pump system, tenants are more likely to profit from a renting costs reduction, while a building renovation is especially economically beneficial at high energy prices. The results therefore emphasize that the insulation level should be selected carefully, as heat pumps already prepare space heating efficiently and that the heat pump must be able to support the hot water preparation to reach high emission reduction targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When implementing urban plans, it is crucial to consider socio-cultural dimensions alongside physical aspects. While restoration and enhancement of historical contexts often prioritize physical intervention, social and cultural aspects are sometimes overlooked. Research indicates that prior to any physical intervention, it is essential to address and evaluate social and cultural dimensions. Therefore, this research aimed to explore the cultural-social and historical contexts of Baba Qasim and propose a series of social intervention measures in the neighborhoods of Shahshan, Dardasht, and Sanbulistan. The research methodology employed in this study was descriptive-analytical, utilizing both library and field methods for data collection. Furthermore, in line with the research approach, endeavors were made to conduct people-centered and participatory planning through the use of questionnaires and interviews. The statistical population comprised the residents of the neighborhoods of Shahshan, Dardasht, and Sanbulistan in Isfahan Region 3. To determine the statistical sample, Cochran's formula was utilized, resulting in the selection and study of 320 residents of Babaghasem Neighborhood. Additionally, interviews were conducted with 100 residents and key figures from Shahshan, Dardasht, and Sanbalistan neighborhoods. Data analysis in this research was conducted in two distinct stages. Initially, the SPSS version 24 software was employed to analyze the collected information. Subsequently, the content analysis method was utilized to extract, interpret, and systematically report the concepts and themes present in the data. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between the residents' sense of belonging to their living environment, social trust, social cohesion among residents, level of participation, and residents' willingness to engage in renovation efforts. Consequently, as these indicators increased, there was a greater inclination towards renovation and a reduction in deterioration. Therefore, it was concluded that by bolstering social capital in the neighborhood of Baba Qasim, further degradation of this valuable neighborhood of the city could be averted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, many efforts have provided remarkable contributions to construction planning and control processes during work execution. Nevertheless, frequent coordination issues among stakeholders and difficulties in dealing with unexpected events can be explained by the complexity featuring the construction sector. Several approaches to deal with this issue were investigated in the manufacturing area, among which this paper looks at the holonic approach as one of the most promising strategies. This study first analyzes the more fragmented and dynamic nature of the construction industry as compared with the manufacturing one. Secondly, it suggests developing a process-based holonic construction management system based on building information modeling (BIM) and a conceptual architecture for manufacturing control called Product Resource Order Staff Architecture (PROSA). The process-based paradigm ensures exploiting the benefits of BIM towards the development of sustainable and efficient regeneration methods of the built environment. Subsequently, a first management system prototype was developed and tested for the purpose of renovation works management. For the first time, results from an actual implementation of PROSA were applied to a real construction site, and its feasibility was assessed using the data on the field. Key performance indicators (KPIs) evaluated during the onsite demonstration confirmed a good performance of PROSA and the presented holonic approach, which contributed to the overall success of the energy efficient refurbishment project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home renovation is a global phenomenon, where households seek to remodel, reconfigure, and retrofit their home. While often a response to the material conditions of a dwelling, such as decay and damage, renovation also as emerges as a practice central to identity creation, sense of home, and leisure. Importantly, improving household sustainability is increasingly driving renovation activities, as governments and households seek to reduce the environmental impact of residential dwellings. Drawing on data collected from a national survey developed by the authors, this paper explores sustainable renovation practices in Australia. The paper provides a three-level analysis of home renovators. First, the paper profiles recent renovators. Second, the extent to which sustainability was considered by recent renovators during the renovation process is investigated. Third, the relationship between personal values placed on household sustainability and the sustainable renovation practices are explored. The analysis reveals that sustainability is an important renovation driver. However, sustainable renovation practices differ between groups of homeowners, with educated and wealthy homeowners most likely to undertake sustainable renovation. Further, those with a stronger commitment to household sustainability are the most likely to include expensive sustainability technologies as part of their renovations. However, it is younger households, who are less committed to the principles of household sustainability, that are most likely to access government subsidies to support the inclusion of these technologies as part of their renovation. The different profiles and actions of these renovator groups reveal a series of challenges and opportunities for governments seeking to promote household sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Both the renovation of rainwater pipes and the addition of sponge city facilities in the low-terrain residences of urban fringes were rarely systematically simulated using the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). With the waterlogging prevention project in an old residential quarter at a fringe of Hefei city being an example, this study used the SWMM to simulate the effect of the renovation of rainwater pipes and sponge city facilities under different return periods. The results showed the key nodes on the main pipes met the drainage requirements based on water depth analysis after renovation below the 20-year return period, and the reduction rate of the maximum water depth at the key node J5 was the greatest, with 87.7%. The four flow parameters (the average flow rate, the peak flow rate, the total discharge, and the percentage of water flow frequency) for the two outlets (PFK1 and PFK2) all improved after renovation under five return periods (2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 years [a]). The addition of sponge city facilities effectively reduced the amount of rainwater runoff from 28.68% to 14.78% during 2 a to 50 a, and the maximum reduction rate of water depth, being 61.15%, appeared in J5 under 20 a. The curve integral area of the depth over the elapsed time was innovatively used to indirectly express the accumulated rainwater volume through the rainwater well. This study verified that the SWMM model can be well applied to old low-terrain residential quarters in urban fringes and broadened the application scenario of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve climate goals, the European Union needs to increase building renovation rates. In owner-occupied buildings, energy cost savings provide financial incentives for renovation. However, 30% of all Europeans live in rented property, where conflicting stakeholder interests arise. Landlords are responsible for renovation decisions (building envelope and energy system) and the corresponding investments. Tenants face rising rents and only slightly benefit from falling energy costs. The literature calls this conflict the landlord–tenant dilemma. However, publications lack a quantification, leaving gaps in understanding its impact on technology choices and the heat transition. To address this, we incorporate the perspectives of landlords and tenants in a model-based approach for optimized technology choice (mixed-integer linear program). We compare optimal individual technology choices with the total cost optimum (including costs for landlords and tenants) for renovation decisions. Additionally, we examine how changes in the regulatory framework affect the economically driven landlord's technology choice. Our study reveals that total costs and emissions are up to 60% and 283% higher for landlords deciding for rented houses compared to owner-occupied properties. Current approaches to solve the dilemma partly favor the development of climate-friendly energy systems. However, the renovation of the building envelope and operation costs are mostly disregarded in the decisions of landlords. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades efforts have been made to reduce the greenhouse gases emissions of buildings by reducing their energy demand with governmental regulations in Europe, pushing towards very low thermal transmittances (U‐values) with ever thicker insulation layers for new buildings. However, there is no linear relationship between the insulation thickness and the heat losses. Therefore, above a certain thickness the consumption of buildings does not decrease significantly. Hereafter a life cycle analysis, including emissions before the building becomes operational is applied to evaluate the impact of the increasing thickness of components on the overall emissions. Publicly available product data sheets are used to compare four insulation materials under three scenarios. These analyses yield interesting results showing that energy‐intensive insulation materials lead to a negative impact in the overall energy balance after a certain thickness. Even though there is not always a pronounced optimum insulation thickness, it is logical that further reductions in U‐value for new buildings should hence be carefully evaluated. The results show that the optimal thickness is around 20 cm for most materials, while the important major savings come from the first 10 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]