Achieving energy efficient buildings via retrofitting of existing buildings: a case study

Retrofitting of existing buildings plays a critical role to achieve sustainable development. There are a number of factors that affect the effectiveness of building energy efficient retrofitting. These factors can be broadly categorised as technology and management. A case study approach was employed in this study to examine effective ways of building energy efficient retrofitting based on one year of monitoring. Several feasible schemes of building energy efficient retrofitting were identified according to the characteristics of the case building. The best scheme was chosen according to results of simulation, comparison and analysis. The focuses of building energy efficient retrofitting were placed on energy conservation and indoor environment quality. In particular, during the operation stage, staff can regulate the terminal unit in accordance with their own demands. Results showed that the building operation can satisfy staff's individual requirements after the retrofit. Similarly, the annual energy consumption can be reduced by 57% compared to the national average of office buildings in China. These findings provide useful inputs for the future building energy efficient retrofitting practices as well as policy making process.