Instructive Examples for Residential Building Renovation

What Constitutes Ecological Residential Building Renovation?

Reconstruction Examples
The following reconstruction examples show the various aspects of ecological Residential building renovation: One example highlights the planning process, another project applies highly innovative technologies for energy conservation.

Reconstruction of the Building in its Entirety
The examples are intended to show, in particular, that Reconstruction does not merely involve the craftsman's work, material, and technology but Reconstruction involves the building in its entirety.

All examples show that many people with various functions are involved in the reconstruction process. Ranging from the identification of damages to reconstruction planning and on-site work, a continual flow of decisions must be made which substantially affect Reconstruction quality. Operating costs and environmental impact are being set for decades to come.

Craftsmen Should Know Other Skilled Trades
Today, it is therefore not enough for craftsmen to execute their own trade properly. In order for the reconstructed building to meet up-to-date requirements regarding ecological and economical efficiency, craftsmen also need to understand enough of the other trades enabling them to discuss with their colleagues and achieve comprehensive solutions to complex problems. This is the only way to fulfil ecological criteria and to keep operating costs within acceptable limits.

For this reason, the following examples do not concentrate on innovative technology but on reconstruction objects in their entirety.

Innovative Technology and Material
Specific information on innovative technology and material is available at various addresses under "contacts", left top of page.

Basis of the following instructive examples is the research project quintec which investigated residential building renovation projects in Austria, The Netherlands, Spain, and Finland.