Deep Renovation of a Social Housing Block to Zero Energy Levels
About this good practice
Problem: Social housing blocks over 30 years old require renovation to be in line with the Long-term Renovation Strategy for Malta. These blocks usually house vulnerable or poor persons. Up to now, only a few renovation projects were carried but none of them were deep renovation to zero-energy levels.
Context: The Housing Authority embarked on a project to deep renovate a social housing block of 40 families to zero energy levels. This will also serve as a good practice example for further replication to other social housing buildings.
Implementation: The project has undergone a detailed energy analysis study, including a questionnaire for all tenants, monitoring of indoor temperature, humidity as well as energy consumption. Effective energy efficiency measures have been identified and a tender procurement process was carried out to appoint a technical body that will be responsible of the project implementation phase. The project is ongoing.
Beneficiaries: Tenants of social housing apartments
Benefits: Lower humidity ingress at ground level, better insulation properties for walls, roofs and glazing, less solar overheating, higher building energy system efficiencies, new efficient white goods appliances, solar photovoltaic systems and heat pump water heaters. Overall estimated savings of 67.8 tonnes CO2 per year, improvement in indoor thermal comfort by up to 6°C in summer for passive measures and reduced energy bills.
Resources needed
Budget: 1.4 Million Euro
Human Resources:
Housing Authority (HA): Responsible Architects
University of Malta: Technical advisors
Contractor: Architectural & Engineering Consultants responsible of the project
Installers and Service Providers: Tenders to cover the different aspects of the project
Evidence of success
Social housing across European regions may replicate this initiative, because it targets poor and vulnerable societies that are increasing in numbers. The project guarantees a step-change in the energy performance rating of the apartments (at least by 70%), and significantly improves the indoor comfort levels both for summer and winter. Engagement with the tenants before, during and after the project’s activities are deemed instrumental for success.
Potential for learning or transfer
The technical study has been published:
Building Energy Renovation and Smart Integration of Renewables in a Social Housing Block Toward Nearly-Zero Energy Status, Damien Gatt, Cedric Caruana, Charles Yousif, Frontiers in Energy Research, Vol. 8 (2020) 560892
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2020.560892
This good practice includes devising a methodology that can be applied universally to transpose a social housing project to a zero energy performance status. Collection of data prior to the introduction of energy efficiency measures is required to be able to assess the success of the project at a later stage and to provide evidence-based demonstration of the possibility of achieving zero energy status. The project also includes awareness raising to the tenants and a minimum 5-year maintenance contract for all measures, to ensure effective results.
Further information
Good practice owner
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