Decision Support System for the Sustainable Seismic and Energy Renovation of Buildings: Methodological Layout

Antonio Artino, Riccardo Caponetto, Gianpiero Evola, Giuseppe Margani, Edoardo Michele Marino and Emanuele Murgano
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Antonio Artino: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICAr), University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
Riccardo Caponetto: Department of Electrical Electronic and Computer Engineering (DIEEI), University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
Gianpiero Evola: Department of Electrical Electronic and Computer Engineering (DIEEI), University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
Giuseppe Margani: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICAr), University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
Edoardo Michele Marino: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICAr), University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
Emanuele Murgano: Department of Electrical Electronic and Computer Engineering (DIEEI), University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-21

Abstract: In Italy, as in many other European countries, a large part of the real estate was built before the issue of restrictive regulations regarding seismic resistance and energy efficiency. Consequently, most existing buildings show inadequate structural and energy performance. However, although a combined renovation is highly recommended, and despite relevant tax incentives which are currently available, the building retrofit market is still struggling to take off. In fact, the lack of information and/or awareness of the involved parties and the consequent difficulty for condominiums to approve the retrofit works are often insuperable obstacles. A Decision Support System (DSS) may help in evaluating and comparing different combined renovation scenarios, thus promoting the regeneration of the building stock. This study presents a new methodology for the selection of the optimal building renovation scenario through a DSS, which is conceived as a tool to allow a quick, simple and effective identification of the best retrofit strategy, based on a priority scale (e.g., costs and duration of intervention, disruption to the occupants, environmental sustainability, energy savings, thermal comfort, structural safety). For this purpose, the DSS calculates suitable performance indices and relative costs. Finally, the system proposes a ranking of the best combined retrofit scenarios. This research study is still ongoing and next steps will deal with the calibration of the proposed methodology.

Keywords: decision support system; building renovation; seismic retrofit; energy efficiency; intervention costs; cost optimal; environmental sustainability; occupants’ disruption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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