Thesis

A comparison of the merits of retrofitting against demolition and re-build construction techniques to achieve sustainability in Scottish social housing, through application of building computer simulations

Creator
Rights statement
Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2013
Thesis identifier
  • T13602
Qualification Level
Qualification Name
Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • The role of this report is to determine the merits of retrofitting over rebuilding in a case study of social housing in Anderston, Glasgow. The report reviews the legislative background to the promotion of sustainability in social housing and identifies a range of retrofit techniques that can be used to improve energy use and reduce carbon emissions. The aim of the report is to determine which form of construction, retrofitting against rebuild, is the most effective method in helping to reduce the UK's carbon emissions from its housing stock. The report explains the problems experienced in the poor quality of social housing that was provided following a major redevelopment project undertaken in the 1960s and 70s in Anderston in Glasgow. It examines the use of different options of retrofit, to improve the energy efficiency of a block of maisonettes in the case study area, and tests these against the existing buildings and a new build option using computer modelling. Using computer energy simulation to assess four case studies, the report demonstrates that retrofitting can achieve significant savings energy and carbon consumption. The table below shows the key findings of the different construction options tested in this research. It demonstrates the great improvements which can be made to the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and SAP rating on an example of Glaswegian social housing, through retrofit against the baseline existing construction and the benchmark New Build option. Additionally the Scottish Government's legislative requirement to achieve an 80% reduction in carbon emissions could be met for these properties through an extensive retrofit option being implemented. The report expresses concern that, while retrofit has a key role to play in achieving sustainability of the UK's social housing stock, it suffers from adverse taxation measures, particularly VAT, which prevents its full potential being realised. It concludes that retrofit measures must be promoted over new build to help deliver the Governments carbon reduction targets and that further research is needed to demonstrate these benefits and ensure a level playing field is established for retrofit projects.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Grierson, David
Resource Type
DOI
Date Created
  • 2013
Former identifier
  • 1002022

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