IN-PERSON: Prague – Section B

Abstract

The existing European building culture is in risks of undergoing major alterations in the coming years because of climate changes. Not only can climate change physically destroy historic buildings, but legislation to prevent the climate changes may also cause big impacts. Rising energy prices, and EU’s desire to limit the greenhouse gas emissions, will require that all buildings shall be zero or near-zero emission buildings by 2050. The upcoming EU building directive may result in replacement of significant historic structural components, that buildings to a large extent are re-insulated on the outside or that they are demolished and replaced by new buildings. Listed buildings are exempt from these regulations, but ordinary historic buildings, which are far more common, largely define the identity of countries and regions. The European Parliament has a proposal for a new building directive. Here, a distinction is made where new buildings must be assessed on the total greenhouse emissions based on a life cycle analysis, while existing buildings only are assessed based on heat loss. Since the total greenhouse emissions from existing buildings are smaller, since they are already built, this creates a distortion. When the final directive arrives, this article will review weather it brings about the intention of making EU climate neutral.
The directive is reviewed based on two Danish buildings where a careful life cycle assessment has been carried out for different degrees of restoration and renovation compared with corresponding new buildings. This will be assessed for a future lifetime of both 50 and 100 year.