Beyond Energy Efficiency: Integrating Health, Building Pathology, and Community Through the Building Identity Passport for Prefabricated Housing

Ivett-Greta Zsak (), Adrian Horațiu Pescaru and Lucia-Daniela Manea
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Ivett-Greta Zsak: Doctoral School, Field of Civil Engineering and Installation, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400020 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Adrian Horațiu Pescaru: Faculty of Constructions, Cadastre and Architecture, University of Oradea, 410058 Oradea, Romania
Lucia-Daniela Manea: Civil Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400020 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-40

Abstract: The preservation of architectural heritage must extend beyond historic city centres to include the large-scale prefabricated housing stock that characterises many post-socialist urban environments. These structures, often overlooked, hold both material and social value. This study focuses on prefabricated residential buildings and proposes a scalable methodology for sustainable rehabilitation through a prototype tool: the building identity passport (BIP). The proposed approach integrates multi-layered diagnostics—combining building integrated modelling (BIM), thermographic surveys, occupant questionnaires, and expert interviews—into a replicable decision-support framework. Results demonstrate that the passport can synthesise tangible (physical) and intangible (perceptual, social) resources of prefabricated blocks into a coherent framework, highlighting both technical pathologies and lived experiences. Thermographic validation of BIM simulations confirms the feasibility of combining digital and on-site diagnostics, while community surveys and expert insights reveal the tensions between comfort, health, and energy efficiency. The resulting prototype provides a transparent overview of building identity, making rehabilitation strategies easier to compare, communicate, and adapt. Beyond its local application, the study underscores the broader replicability of the method: core diagnostic layers remain constant, while context-sensitive indicators can be tailored to different regions. The proposed framework thus offers municipalities and communities a practical tool to align rehabilitation with circular resource use and occupant well-being. Future work will focus on automating data processing and extending validation to diverse housing contexts, strengthening its potential as a platform for sustainable urban regeneration.

Keywords: building identity passport; building renovation passport; prefabricated housing; BIM (building integrated modelling); building pathology; health; community engagement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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