Short answer
When designing building renovations, thoroughly evaluate a range of technical options to find the most economically viable and environmentally beneficial solutions, considering waste reduction and material reuse.
- Field
- Sustainability
- Source
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023)
- Method
- Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis
- Sample
- 1402 papers
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Renovating existing buildings offers a cost-effective pathway to significant energy savings and emission reductions, but selecting the optimal technical approach is a key challenge. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Using Systematic review and bibliometric analysis with 1402 papers, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing building renovations, thoroughly evaluate a range of technical options to find the most economically viable and environmentally beneficial solutions, considering waste reduction and material reuse.
Building Renovation: Balancing Economic Viability with Environmental Gains
Renovating existing buildings offers a cost-effective pathway to significant energy savings and emission reductions, but selecting the optimal technical approach is a key challenge.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2023
Key Findings
- 01Building renovation is a cost-effective method for energy saving and emission reduction.
- 02Determining the optimal cost-effective technical path for renovation is a significant challenge.
- 03Waste material recycling and technological innovation play crucial roles in extending building lifespan.
- 04Top-down guidance is essential for achieving carbon-neutral goals in building renovation.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing building renovations, thoroughly evaluate a range of technical options to find the most economically viable and environmentally beneficial solutions, considering waste reduction and material reuse.
How to apply
When proposing a building renovation project, conduct a comparative analysis of different technological interventions, quantifying their projected energy savings, emission reductions, and associated costs, including material sourcing and waste disposal.
Project actions
- 01When researching renovation, look for studies that compare different methods.
- 02Consider the full lifecycle of materials used in renovation, including their disposal or recycling.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Comprehensive review of a large body of literature.
- +Quantitative analysis of benefits and challenges.
- +Identification of research trends and future directions.
Limitations
The optimal technical path is highly dependent on the specific building's condition, location, and local regulations, which may not be fully covered in a general review.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of the findings is enhanced by the systematic review of a large number of papers. Validity is supported by the quantitative analysis and visualization of research trends, though the applicability of findings to specific projects requires further validation.
Think critically
How can designers proactively address the challenge of determining the 'optimal cost-effective technical path' for building renovations, given the complexity and project-specific nature of this decision?
Design Principles
"Maximize resource efficiency and minimize environmental impact through strategic renovation and material lifecycle management."
Designers and engineers must consider the dual objectives of economic feasibility and environmental impact when developing renovation strategies. Understanding the landscape of available technologies and their associated benefits and challenges is crucial for successful project outcomes.
What This Means for Your Design
Fixing up old buildings is a good way to save energy and money, but it's tricky to choose the best way to do it. We need to think about recycling materials and new technologies, and governments need to help.
How to use in your project
- 1.Cite this research when discussing the environmental and economic rationale for choosing renovation over new builds.
- 2.Use the findings to justify the investigation into specific renovation technologies for your design project.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The renovation of existing buildings presents a significant opportunity for achieving environmental and economic benefits, as highlighted by research indicating that while cost-effective, the selection of optimal technical pathways remains a complex challenge. This underscores the importance of a systematic approach to evaluating various renovation technologies, considering factors such as waste material recycling and technological innovation to extend building lifespans and contribute to carbon neutrality goals.
Source
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Existing Building Renovation: A Review of Barriers to Economic and Environmental Benefits
journal · 2023
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about building renovation: balancing economic viability with environmental gains?
- When designing building renovations, thoroughly evaluate a range of technical options to find the most economically viable and environmentally beneficial solutions, considering waste reduction and material reuse. Evidence: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
- Why does "Building Renovation: Balancing Economic Viability with Environmental Gains" matter for design?
- Designers and engineers must consider the dual objectives of economic feasibility and environmental impact when developing renovation strategies. Understanding the landscape of available technologies and their associated benefits and challenges is crucial for successful project outcomes.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing building renovations, thoroughly evaluate a range of technical options to find the most economically viable and environmentally beneficial solutions, considering waste reduction and material reuse.
- What were the main findings?
- Building renovation is a cost-effective method for energy saving and emission reduction.. Determining the optimal cost-effective technical path for renovation is a significant challenge.. Waste material recycling and technological innovation play crucial roles in extending building lifespan.. Top-down guidance is essential for achieving carbon-neutral goals in building renovation.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis with 1402 papers.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2023 journal from International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When proposing a building renovation project, conduct a comparative analysis of different technological interventions, quantifying their projected energy savings, emission reductions, and associated costs, including material sourcing and waste disposal.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings are based on a review of existing literature and may not capture all localized or emerging challenges. The optimal technical path is highly project-specific and requires detailed on-site assessment.