Analyzing the potential of low exergy building refurbishment by simulation

Providing thermal interior comfort in buildings in temperate climate zones is an energy-demanding task that can be optimized through refurbishment. We compare four refurbishment strategies to convert an existing residential building with high primary energy demand into a low-exergy building. The strategies differ in the balance of passive and active refurbishment measures, respectively in the balance of improving the building envelope and installing low-exergy building systems. We rate the refurbishment strategies for their sustainable effectiveness by comparing the impact on overall exergy consumption, embedded and operational emissions, costs and aesthetic value. Our results show that the refurbishment strategies with greater focus on the active components and minimal improvement of the building envelope are the most promising ones.