Improving Efficiency in Energy Renovations: A Decision Support Tool for Residential Buildings

Abstract

The Dutch residential building sector must transition toward energy-efficient renovations to address climate change and reduce energy consumption. However, the early design phase, where critical decisions about energy renovation scenarios are made, often presents significant challenges. Project developers face issues such as unclear prioritization of decision criteria and inefficient processes for evaluating and comparing renovation alternatives. These challenges frequently lead to delays and hinder the selection of optimal solutions. This research aims to identify and address the key problems in the decision-making process during the early design phase of residential energy renovations. The central research question is: “How can the decision-making process in the early design phase of energy renovations in residential buildings be improved to enable project developers to make efficient decisions that consider environmental, economic, and social factors?” The study identifies critical bottlenecks in the early design process, such as fragmented criteria selection and the absence of a systematic approach for evaluating renovation scenarios. A structured decision-support framework is proposed, focusing on defining relevant criteria, integrating stakeholder inputs, and ranking alternatives using a balanced and transparent weighting method. The added value of this framework lies in enabling project developers to make quicker, well-informed decisions by simplifying complex processes and clarifying priorities. While a computational tool may be developed as a final product, this research prioritizes understanding and improving the decision-making process itself. Validation through a case study ensures practical applicability and relevance to the challenges faced by project developers. By providing a systematic and innovative approach to decision-making, this study enables faster and more practical decision-making processes. It contributes to the efficient planning and execution of energy renovations in residential buildings, supporting the sector’s transition to sustainability and climate resilience.