The EEPOCH Project – Multidisciplinarity in a Multiple Case Study

Other conference contribution, 2013

Energy efficiency has for many years been pointed out as a key action for reduction of greenhouse gases. “One of the initiatives of the Europe 2020 Strategy is the flagship resource-efficient Europe adopted by the Commission on 26 January 2011. This identifies energy efficiency as a major element in ensuring the sustainability of the use of energy resources” according to The European Parliament and The Council. One of the reasons for a new directive is that the Union is unlikely to achieve its energy efficiency target of 20% primary energy savings by 2020, and concomitant reduction of greenhouse gases, based on the current policy mix. All Member States shall set up measures in order to use energy more efficiently at all stages of the energy chain including total renovation of the national building stock in the residential and tertiary sector, in both public and private buildings, and nor the industry neither the existing built heritage are exempt. The Swedish mandatory provisions already treat new constructions and existing buildings as equivalent in terms of energy demands when applying for building permit e.g. in alteration projects. The energy requirements may be waived by 20% if there are special cultural and historic values but the demands are set so high that it is likely that very few buildings can manage to meet them, even if total renovation and refurbishment are carried out. There is also a Swedish law, and a regulation, and mandatory provisions on energy declarations where buildings with cultural and historic values are not exempt. Cost efficient energy measures should be suggested to the real estate owner but it is optional to follow them. A national energy rating is intended to be introduced in connection to the summary of the declaration. Inventories made in the County of Halland, Sweden, in the 1990s had about 3000 buildings and included objects representing the social, technological and industrial development of society and all social classes. The latest inventories in Halland completed in 2010 have mapped over 10 000 buildings and also sites, where the built environment with their surroundings as a whole, show signifi cant historic values. The inventory is available for everybody online. In light of the new inventories on built heritge and the new legislation on energy efficiency it is clear that there will be difficulties with the safeguarding and in managing both preservation and energy efficiency in our built heritage. Conservation work and the work on energy effi ciency have to be redeveloped or be codeveloped in concert with the new situation. Cooperation is needed to cover the multiple fields in practice and theory.