Upgrade or replace?: The effect of the EPBD on the choice between improvement or replacement

What is better: improvement or replacement by new construction? The choice between life cycle extension and replacement of existing buildings is at itself a vital but very difficult decision, involving a wide range of different aspects and affecting several contrary and often conflicting interests. The emerging ecological awareness of the...

Urban Symbiotic Greenhouse: An integrated approach to improve building performance

The population of the world is increasing at a rapid rate and is expected to reach 9.7billion by 2050. Out of this, around 6.3billion people will be living in urban areas. With an ever increasing population, the demand for energy and resources is also increasing. It is becoming difficult to meet these demands with the existing supply conditions....

Renovation of Proteus Eretes: Towards nearly zero energy building with high indoor comfort

One of the major risks to our planet today is climate change, which is a problem that worries people all over the world. There is a rise in global temperature levels and greenhouse gas emissions. The building industry has a huge share in this aspect. The current built environment accounts for almost 40% of energy consumption and 36% of CO2...

Energy Space Layout: Designing space layout with optimised energy performance

The current housing market in the Netherlands depicts a need for energy-efficient buildings for young professionals. Performative Computational Architecture (PCA), as computational methodology, is a valuable source of knowledge and design support to integrate the buildings’ performances at early stages. By applying PCA, this thesis explores and...