Approach and Decision-Making Process for Sustainable Retrofitting of Commercial Buildings

Abstract

The main stakeholders in a retrofitting process for public and commercial buildings are the Lessor, Users, Investors, and Developers. They all have different market and personal interests, which need to be taken into account when developing optimal, affordable, and successful projects. These stakeholders will consider technical, energy, legal, and economic aspects of a holistic retrofitting solution that fit into their interest chain both from an individual and from their shared perspective. Therefore, a value-driven process has to be set up to underline the whole retrofitting project.

In practice, stakeholders need to define and clearly state a common goal and retrofitting strategy, as well as to set up a shared management to design and implement the project. Behind the retrofitting strategy, there needs to be a business case for the project that should include not only energy savings but other factors, so-called co-impacts, such as the increased market value of the property.

The main drivers of retrofitting public and commercial buildings typically include cost savings and improvement of the building state. Typical technical solutions are energy efficiency improvement, reduction of energy demand, and reduction of building related emissions. However, it is no longer possible to implement a retrofitting project without considering the comfort level determined by indoor air quality and thermal comfort, but also by the functional, aesthetical and environmental factors.

The implementation process developed by the EcoShopping^∗ project can be considered as a model for achieving such a holistic retrofit implementation.