Integrated Strategies and Policy Instruments for Retrofit buildings to reduce primary Energy use and GHG emissions

Improving energy efficiency in buildings is one of the cheapest ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, for countries with a net negative energy trade balance, to increase energy security. National governments and the European Union are adopting policy measures to promote energy efficiency in both new and existing buildings. However, only a small percentage of new buildings are constructed using the best energy efficiency standards available and only a few buildings are
renovated focusing on energy efficiency. There is a need to understand and take into consideration technical, economic and socio-psychological factors when planning energy renovations – something in which built environment professionals have not excelled. This research project looks into the issue of energy efficient renovation in buildings using a variety of interdisciplinary approaches in order to include, combine and consider policy, market and social aspects at the macro, meso and micro level.