Introduction - Nearly Zero Energy Building Refurbishment - page 9

4 Book Outline
The Deutsch policy framework related to the energetic refurbishment of buildings
is the subject of ' ' Policy Instruments: The Case of Germany ''. It includes relevant
strategies and concepts as well as governmental targets. The specific cases of the
Deutsch building code ''Energy Saving Ordinance'' and the ''Renewable Energy
Heat Law'' are analysed. This chapter also includes an overview on financial
incentive programmes related to energy-related refurbishments. Important market
instruments are described.
'' Built Environment Life Cycle Process and Climate Change ' ' deals with the
influence of climate change on the built environment. It presents a model of the
built environment life cycle process for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
'' Benefits of Refurbishment '' describes some of the benefits associated with
refurbishment actions.
It summarizes the results of the energy and environmental assessment of a set of
retrofit actions implemented in the framework of the EU Project (Bringing Retrofit
Innovation to Application in Public Buildings).
The modelling of the occupant behaviour impact on the buildings energy
prediction is the subject of '' Modelling the Occupant Behaviour Impact on
Buildings Energy Prediction ''. It suggests a ''model for occupant behaviour within
the building in relation to energy consumption, along with a building energy
consumption model, is proposed based on stochastic Markov models''.
'' Uncertainty in Refurbishment Investment '' identifies and classifies uncer-
tainties that characterize and make refurbishment investment a highly uncertain
endeavour over the project life cycle. Recommendations about managing these
uncertainties during the project evaluation phase are provided. This chapter
includes ''a new approach to project evaluation based on the option pricing theory
is presented along with a case study example''.
'' Energy Performance of Buildings: A Comparison of Standard Assessment
Methods ' ' addresses the uncertainties arriving from the use of different energy
performance assessment methods.
'' Life Cycle Energy Performance Evaluation '' presents the ''concepts and
methodology to evaluate life cycle energy performance of buildings, including
embodied energy of the different components, systems and processes''. The
chapter introduces the concept of ''net energy ratio'' to the built environment,
presenting it as an indicator to support optimization of building refurbishment
strategies from a life cycle energy perspective. A practical application for the
refurbishment of an Irish typical house is also shown.
'' Refurbishment Scenario to Shift Nearly Net ZEBs Toward Net ZEB Target:
An Italian Case Study ' ' addresses an Italian case study concerning several refur-
bishment scenarios to shift nearly net zero-energy building towards net zero target.
The refurbishment strategy is based on a LCA, in which the LCI model is carried
out by using the SimaPro software. Energy payback time and the emission pay-
back time are assessed inn order to compare the different scenarios.