A Review of Renewable Technologies Used In Traditional Domestic Buildings (2014)
Renewable Technologies Used In Traditional Domestic Buildings Dissertation – Sustainability is a key current issue in the UK. In order to reach the CO2 emission reduction targets set by the Government for 2050, the domestic housing stock must become significantly more efficient. The current balance between ecological sustainability cultural heritage is considered. The installation of renewable technologies into traditional houses is discussed in terms of work done so far, barriers faced and occupier perceptions.
Semi structured interviews were conducted with a selection of qualified professionals with an interest in this topic. The responses were collated and analysed. The main findings of the research were the need to concentrate on energy efficiency measures; the tendency for clients to be driven by financial considerations and related issues; the potential ramifications of aggressive marketing by manufacturers and installers; and a lack of knowledge and understanding of retrofit in a heritage context both from clients and professionals. Areas where further work is needed have been identified.
Sustainability is an extremely important and prominent topic in the construction industry today. However, sustainability is not just about environmental concerns; it is also about conserving our culture and heritage. Where historic buildings are concerned, it is possible that these two aspects of sustainability will clash with one another.
A large proportion of the UK housing stock is made up of traditional buildings, constructed before the middle of the 20th century. The owners of these homes are faced with the issues of fuel poverty and climate change. Many may feel that a new-build, efficiently designed home would better meet their needs. So how can we make these traditional homes meet the needs of the modern homeowner? The dissertation objectives are;
- To justify the upkeep of our historic housing stock
- To determine how these houses can be brought up to modern energy efficiency standards
- To identify where current practice is and where improvements are needed
- To explore professional opinion on these matters
- 11,000 words – 36 pages in length
- Good use of literature
- Good analysis of subject area
- Well written throughout
- Includes interview transcripts
- Ideal for construction management students
1 – Introduction
Rationale for the study
Aims and objectives
Hypothesis
2 – Literature Review
The importance of conserving historical buildings
Why retrofit renewable technologies in historic properties?
Difficulties faced in retrofit projects
Where are we now with retrofit?
Occupier views on retrofit
3 – Research Methods
4 – Data and Results
5 – Discussion
The importance of efficiency measures
Client motivations
Marketing issues
Issues in implementing technologies
Going forward
6 – Conclusions
References
Appendix Section
Interview transcripts