Innovation of Conservation

Abstract

Monuments are often not energy efficient, yet improving the energy performance without harming the cultural values is still a complex process. By only conserving a building without making adaptations, a mismatch can arise between the demand of the user and the building. Next to that, using Building Information Modeling (BIM) to assess the suitability of different energy conservation measures on the ground of appearance and effectiveness, is not common in the management of monumental real estate. The aim of this research is to design a BIM-based strategy that supports the creation of a renovation plan for a monument, which increases the energy performance of the building and conserves the cultural values. Therefore, the main research question is: How can the use of BIM support decisions on the optimization of energy performance and cultural value in Dutch national monuments? The result of this research is a BIM-based strategy, which design is based on the outcomes of a literature study, expert interviews and two case studies: Paushuize and Westergasfabriek. Creating a BIM model of a monument and inserting the monumental values and the energetic characteristics of the building components in the model is beneficial for: (1) framing the design space, (2) analyzing the building areas where energy conservation measures are directly applicable and effective, (3) preserving cultural values, (4) managing the renovation design process, (5) creating renovation design options, (6) analyzing the impact of the design options on the cultural values and thermal performance of the building, and (7) supporting decisions on the implementation of a renovation design option.