Thaleia Konstantinou | Delft University of Technology (original) (raw)
Books by Thaleia Konstantinou
The renovation of buildings which are past their prime can no longer be regarded as a necessary e... more The renovation of buildings which are past their prime can no longer be regarded as a necessary evil that costs money and causes inconvenience. Increasingly, it is being acknowledged that to renovate a building and its façade, also known as the ‘envelope’, can hold out great advantages. Not only does it improve the quality of life and the performance, it can save energy and increase the building’s market value. This makes renovation an interesting proposition for owners, users and architects alike. The façade research group at Delft University of Technology, working with the Dutch façade builders’ association VMRG, carried out a three-year research project that yielded a number of basic requests, strategies and practical examples which it then developed together with several enlightened companies. Reimagining the Envelope reports on this exchange of ideas between science and practice. The result is a variety of strategies for renovating the envelope and examples of successful projects. It also presents a number of far-reaching design ideas
Papers by Thaleia Konstantinou
Smart innovation, systems and technologies, 2024
Journal of facade design and engineering, Dec 22, 2023
Frontiers in Built Environment, Dec 19, 2023
Architecture and the Built Environment
The starting point of the research is the need to refurbish existing residential building stock, ... more The starting point of the research is the need to refurbish existing residential building stock, in order to reduce its energy demand, which accounts for over one fourth of the energy consumption in the European Union. Refurbishment is a necessary step to reach the ambitious energy and decarbonisation targets for 2020 and 2050 that require an eventual reduction up to 90% in CO2 emissions. In this context, the rate and depth of refurbishment need to grow. The number of building to be renovated every year should increase, while the energy savings in renovated buildings should be over 60% reduction to current energy demand. To achieve that, not only is it necessary to find politics and incentives, but also to enable the building industry to design and construct effective refurbishment strategies. This research focuses on refurbishment of the building envelope, as it is very influential with regard to energy reduction. The early design phases are particularly important, as decisions tak...
Buildings
This study presents an approach to determine the extent of renovation interventions required for ... more This study presents an approach to determine the extent of renovation interventions required for existing Dutch dwellings aiming to transition to lower-temperature district heating (DH) systems. The proposed method is applied to a typical intermediate terraced house built before 1945 in the Netherlands, and it consists of two steps: first, assessing the potential of a dwelling to be heated with a lower temperature supply from DH systems and subsequently developing and evaluating alternative renovation solutions if necessary. This study defines a set of criteria for evaluating the readiness of a dwelling for lower-temperature heating (LTH), considering energy efficiency and thermal comfort as non-compensatory criteria. The application of the approach reveals that the case study dwelling is presently unsuitable for a medium-temperature (70/50 °C) and low-temperature (55/35 °C) supply compared to a high-temperature supply (90/70 °C), thus requiring energy renovations. Furthermore, this...
Architectural Science Review, May 23, 2023
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Aug 11, 2023
BK BOOKS, Jul 16, 2017
The starting point of the research is the need to refurbish existing residential building stock, ... more The starting point of the research is the need to refurbish existing residential building stock, in order to reduce its energy demand, which accounts for over one fourth of the energy consumption in the European Union. Refurbishment is a necessary step to reach the ambitious energy and decarbonisation targets for 2020 and 2050 that require an eventual reduction up to 90% in CO2 emissions. In this context, the rate and depth of refurbishment need to grow. The number of building to be renovated every year should increase, while the energy savings in renovated buildings should be over 60% reduction to current energy demand. To achieve that, not only is it necessary to find politics and incentives, but also to enable the building industry to design and construct effective refurbishment strategies. This research focuses on refurbishment of the building envelope, as it is very influential with regard to energy reduction. The early design phases are particularly important, as decisions taken during this stage can determine the success or failure of the design. Even though the design decisions made earlier can have bigger impact with lower cost and effort, most existing tools focus on post-design evaluation. The integration of all aspects during the early design phases is complex, particularly as far as energy efficient design is concerned. At this stage, architects are in search for a design direction to make an informed decision. If the designer is provided with an indication of how efficient refurbishment options are, it is possible to apply them as part of an integrated strategy rather than trying to add measures at later stages, after the strategy has been developed. Therefore, taking into account the need to refurbish residential buildings and the importance of integrated design of façade refurbishment strategies, the thesis aims at answering the following question. How can the energy upgrade potential of residential façade refurbishment strategies be integrated in the early design phase, in order to support decision-making? The objective of the research is to enable the design of refurbishment strategies that acknowledge the potential of energy savings. Having available an assessment of the energy performance results in informed decisions that improve the efficiency of the strategy and the final refurbished building. The answer to the research question is given by the Façade Refurbishment Toolbox (FRT) approach. It consists of three different types of information that can support the decision-making of residential façade refurbishment strategies. Firstly, the building envelope components that need to be addressed in an integrated refurbishment strategy are identified and different retrofitting measures for each one are proposed, composing the façade refurbishment toolbox. Secondly, the measures are quantified in terms of energy upgrade potential, expressed by the simulated energy demand reduction after the application of the measure. Finally, a roadmap to the key decision aspects in the refurbishment strategy development indicates when the toolbox information can be used. The methodology used to develop the FRT approach includes organising and calculating information about component retrofitting measures. The steps of the methodology were developed in the different chapters of the thesis. The first three chapters (Chapters 2-4) comprise the theoretical background that shapes the research question, discussion of the residential building stock, energy performance and refurbishment practice. Chapters 5 and 6 describe the process of the composition of the toolbox. Finally, Chapters 7 and 8 are concerned with its further applicability, regarding the approach validation and usability. This thesis concludes with an approach to enable informed and energy-efficiency conscious decisions in the early stage of the design of refurbishment strategies. To improve the design process, the Façade Refurbishment Toolbox facilitates the development of strategies in different cases and for different specifications, without limiting or dictating designers’ choices. Designing is deciding. Knowledge and information can lead to better understanding of a decision consequent and, therefore, result in better design solutions. Different buildings have different energy saving potential. They also have different specifications, performance requirements and design ambitions. All these parameters result in different refurbishment strategies. The aim of the proposed approach is not replacing the design process and generating a solution, but supporting it by providing information to lead into responsible and knowledgeable decisions. In this way, refurbishment strategies that take into account the building improvement, occupants’ comfort and efficient energy use can be designed, contributing to the greater society’s goals of CO2 emissions reduction and sustainable development
IOP conference series, Sep 1, 2022
In the Netherlands, district heating with a lower temperature supply (<70°C) will play a c... more In the Netherlands, district heating with a lower temperature supply (<70°C) will play a crucial part in accomplishing the energy transition goals of delivering natural gas-free sustainable heating to dwellings. The existing dwellings often require energy renovations to make them suitable for lower temperature heating. However, choosing renovation strategies that promote the transition to lower temperature district heating while improving energy efficiency and thermal comfort is challenging. This study aims to identify minimum renovation requirements for comfortably heating homes using lower temperature heat from district heating. Identifying minimum renovation strategies to prepare existing dwellings for lower temperature district heating would be vital in addressing the European Renovation Wave’s target of improving worst-performing buildings. For the same, the study uses a typical intermediate terraced house built before 1945 as a case study to investigate renovation strategies based on four levels of renovation intervention (no renovation, basic, moderate and deep). The impact of renovations on space heating demand and thermal comfort was tested with medium (70/50°C) and low supply (55/35°C) temperatures against key performance indicators (KPIs) using dynamic simulation. The study found that for the case study dwelling, moderate renovation strategy of upgrading the building envelope insulation by 0.40 W/m2K for opaque parts and 1.5 W/m2K for glazing, improving the airtightness by 0.3h-1 and replacing existing radiators with LT radiators can be considered as a no-regret solution for comfortably heating homes with both medium and lower temperature supply from district heating.
Doctoral thesis, UCL (University College London)., Nov 1, 2008
In the context of climate change and the need to decarbonise the building sector, the present the... more In the context of climate change and the need to decarbonise the building sector, the present thesis sets off to investigate the potential of cutting down on the carbon footprint of buildings, particularly office and commercial, by applying improved facade systems. Moreover, facade options are compared, in order to examine the effect they have on building performance and appearance. Various facade options were researched in literature, and the findings were applied and tested in re-cladding a case study building. The re-cladding options can be divided in three groups according to the strategies applied improved thermal conductivity of the envelop, use of sola shading devices and responsive solar transmittance of glazing, by applying electrochromic technology. They were tested through building simulation software TAS. The key issues of the building performance evaluated are the heating loads and the potential of overheating- which is connected with the use of air-conditioning. Analysis of BIPVs and cost analysis cover additional issues related with the facade options. After the research and evaluation of the facade options, the preferable option for re-cladding the case study building was found the use of electrochromic glazing. This conclusion covers not only the environmental performance but also the value of this option on the image of the building. The study concluded that improved facades can significantly reduce- about 90%- carbon footprint of the aging office building stock. It is also indicated the energy demand is not the only criterion when evaluating a facade performance, since a much wider range of issues are related, such as cost, payback period, health and comfort of the occupants and architectural appeal of the building.
Over the next decade investments in buildings energy saving need to increase, together with the r... more Over the next decade investments in buildings energy saving need to increase, together with the rate and depth of renovations, to achieve the required reduction in buildings related CO2 emissions. Although the need to improve residential buildings has been identified, guidelines come as general suggestion that fail to address the diversity of each project and give specific answers on how these requirements can be implemented in the design. During early design phases, architects are in search for a design direction to make informed decisions, particularly with regard to the building envelope, which mostly regulated energy demand. To result into a sustainable existing residential stock, this paper proposes a methodology to support refurbishment strategies design. The result or the proposed methodology enables designers to make informed decisions that generated energy and sustainability conscious designs, without dictating an optimal solution, from the energy point of view alone. Its applicability is validated through interviews with refurbishment stakeholders.
Journal of Building Engineering
TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment
In the façade sector, the ecological and circular transition requires the adoption of new busines... more In the façade sector, the ecological and circular transition requires the adoption of new business models that exploit the value of the material as much as possible. In this context, the Internet of Things (IoT) is identified as a potential innovation driver for the widespread use of circular approaches. The aim of the paper is to clarify the role of IoT in enabling five circular business models in the façade sector. The potential benefits of an IoT-based façade system are highlighted through a matrix underscoring the relationship between information produced and key actions to achieve the innovative business models. The research discussion and findings open the debate on the perspective of digitally integrated building components.
Journal of Building Engineering
The use of energy in buildings is a complex problem, but it can be reduced and alleviated by maki... more The use of energy in buildings is a complex problem, but it can be reduced and alleviated by making appropriate decisions. Therefore, architects face a major and responsible task of designing the built environment in such a way that its energy dependence will be reduced to a minimum, while at the same time being able to provide comfortable living conditions. Today, architects have many tools at their disposal, facilitating the design process and simultaneously ensuring proper assessment in the early stages of building design. The purpose of this book is to present ongoing research from the universities involved in the project Creating the Network of Knowledge Labs for Sustainable and Resilient Environments (KLABS). This book attempts to highlight the problem of energy use in buildings and propose certain solutions. It consists of nine chapters, organised in three parts. The gathering of chapters into parts serves to identify the different themes that the designer needs to consider, ...
The renovation of buildings which are past their prime can no longer be regarded as a necessary e... more The renovation of buildings which are past their prime can no longer be regarded as a necessary evil that costs money and causes inconvenience. Increasingly, it is being acknowledged that to renovate a building and its façade, also known as the ‘envelope’, can hold out great advantages. Not only does it improve the quality of life and the performance, it can save energy and increase the building’s market value. This makes renovation an interesting proposition for owners, users and architects alike. The façade research group at Delft University of Technology, working with the Dutch façade builders’ association VMRG, carried out a three-year research project that yielded a number of basic requests, strategies and practical examples which it then developed together with several enlightened companies. Reimagining the Envelope reports on this exchange of ideas between science and practice. The result is a variety of strategies for renovating the envelope and examples of successful projects. It also presents a number of far-reaching design ideas
Smart innovation, systems and technologies, 2024
Journal of facade design and engineering, Dec 22, 2023
Frontiers in Built Environment, Dec 19, 2023
Architecture and the Built Environment
The starting point of the research is the need to refurbish existing residential building stock, ... more The starting point of the research is the need to refurbish existing residential building stock, in order to reduce its energy demand, which accounts for over one fourth of the energy consumption in the European Union. Refurbishment is a necessary step to reach the ambitious energy and decarbonisation targets for 2020 and 2050 that require an eventual reduction up to 90% in CO2 emissions. In this context, the rate and depth of refurbishment need to grow. The number of building to be renovated every year should increase, while the energy savings in renovated buildings should be over 60% reduction to current energy demand. To achieve that, not only is it necessary to find politics and incentives, but also to enable the building industry to design and construct effective refurbishment strategies. This research focuses on refurbishment of the building envelope, as it is very influential with regard to energy reduction. The early design phases are particularly important, as decisions tak...
Buildings
This study presents an approach to determine the extent of renovation interventions required for ... more This study presents an approach to determine the extent of renovation interventions required for existing Dutch dwellings aiming to transition to lower-temperature district heating (DH) systems. The proposed method is applied to a typical intermediate terraced house built before 1945 in the Netherlands, and it consists of two steps: first, assessing the potential of a dwelling to be heated with a lower temperature supply from DH systems and subsequently developing and evaluating alternative renovation solutions if necessary. This study defines a set of criteria for evaluating the readiness of a dwelling for lower-temperature heating (LTH), considering energy efficiency and thermal comfort as non-compensatory criteria. The application of the approach reveals that the case study dwelling is presently unsuitable for a medium-temperature (70/50 °C) and low-temperature (55/35 °C) supply compared to a high-temperature supply (90/70 °C), thus requiring energy renovations. Furthermore, this...
Architectural Science Review, May 23, 2023
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Aug 11, 2023
BK BOOKS, Jul 16, 2017
The starting point of the research is the need to refurbish existing residential building stock, ... more The starting point of the research is the need to refurbish existing residential building stock, in order to reduce its energy demand, which accounts for over one fourth of the energy consumption in the European Union. Refurbishment is a necessary step to reach the ambitious energy and decarbonisation targets for 2020 and 2050 that require an eventual reduction up to 90% in CO2 emissions. In this context, the rate and depth of refurbishment need to grow. The number of building to be renovated every year should increase, while the energy savings in renovated buildings should be over 60% reduction to current energy demand. To achieve that, not only is it necessary to find politics and incentives, but also to enable the building industry to design and construct effective refurbishment strategies. This research focuses on refurbishment of the building envelope, as it is very influential with regard to energy reduction. The early design phases are particularly important, as decisions taken during this stage can determine the success or failure of the design. Even though the design decisions made earlier can have bigger impact with lower cost and effort, most existing tools focus on post-design evaluation. The integration of all aspects during the early design phases is complex, particularly as far as energy efficient design is concerned. At this stage, architects are in search for a design direction to make an informed decision. If the designer is provided with an indication of how efficient refurbishment options are, it is possible to apply them as part of an integrated strategy rather than trying to add measures at later stages, after the strategy has been developed. Therefore, taking into account the need to refurbish residential buildings and the importance of integrated design of façade refurbishment strategies, the thesis aims at answering the following question. How can the energy upgrade potential of residential façade refurbishment strategies be integrated in the early design phase, in order to support decision-making? The objective of the research is to enable the design of refurbishment strategies that acknowledge the potential of energy savings. Having available an assessment of the energy performance results in informed decisions that improve the efficiency of the strategy and the final refurbished building. The answer to the research question is given by the Façade Refurbishment Toolbox (FRT) approach. It consists of three different types of information that can support the decision-making of residential façade refurbishment strategies. Firstly, the building envelope components that need to be addressed in an integrated refurbishment strategy are identified and different retrofitting measures for each one are proposed, composing the façade refurbishment toolbox. Secondly, the measures are quantified in terms of energy upgrade potential, expressed by the simulated energy demand reduction after the application of the measure. Finally, a roadmap to the key decision aspects in the refurbishment strategy development indicates when the toolbox information can be used. The methodology used to develop the FRT approach includes organising and calculating information about component retrofitting measures. The steps of the methodology were developed in the different chapters of the thesis. The first three chapters (Chapters 2-4) comprise the theoretical background that shapes the research question, discussion of the residential building stock, energy performance and refurbishment practice. Chapters 5 and 6 describe the process of the composition of the toolbox. Finally, Chapters 7 and 8 are concerned with its further applicability, regarding the approach validation and usability. This thesis concludes with an approach to enable informed and energy-efficiency conscious decisions in the early stage of the design of refurbishment strategies. To improve the design process, the Façade Refurbishment Toolbox facilitates the development of strategies in different cases and for different specifications, without limiting or dictating designers’ choices. Designing is deciding. Knowledge and information can lead to better understanding of a decision consequent and, therefore, result in better design solutions. Different buildings have different energy saving potential. They also have different specifications, performance requirements and design ambitions. All these parameters result in different refurbishment strategies. The aim of the proposed approach is not replacing the design process and generating a solution, but supporting it by providing information to lead into responsible and knowledgeable decisions. In this way, refurbishment strategies that take into account the building improvement, occupants’ comfort and efficient energy use can be designed, contributing to the greater society’s goals of CO2 emissions reduction and sustainable development
IOP conference series, Sep 1, 2022
In the Netherlands, district heating with a lower temperature supply (<70°C) will play a c... more In the Netherlands, district heating with a lower temperature supply (<70°C) will play a crucial part in accomplishing the energy transition goals of delivering natural gas-free sustainable heating to dwellings. The existing dwellings often require energy renovations to make them suitable for lower temperature heating. However, choosing renovation strategies that promote the transition to lower temperature district heating while improving energy efficiency and thermal comfort is challenging. This study aims to identify minimum renovation requirements for comfortably heating homes using lower temperature heat from district heating. Identifying minimum renovation strategies to prepare existing dwellings for lower temperature district heating would be vital in addressing the European Renovation Wave’s target of improving worst-performing buildings. For the same, the study uses a typical intermediate terraced house built before 1945 as a case study to investigate renovation strategies based on four levels of renovation intervention (no renovation, basic, moderate and deep). The impact of renovations on space heating demand and thermal comfort was tested with medium (70/50°C) and low supply (55/35°C) temperatures against key performance indicators (KPIs) using dynamic simulation. The study found that for the case study dwelling, moderate renovation strategy of upgrading the building envelope insulation by 0.40 W/m2K for opaque parts and 1.5 W/m2K for glazing, improving the airtightness by 0.3h-1 and replacing existing radiators with LT radiators can be considered as a no-regret solution for comfortably heating homes with both medium and lower temperature supply from district heating.
Doctoral thesis, UCL (University College London)., Nov 1, 2008
In the context of climate change and the need to decarbonise the building sector, the present the... more In the context of climate change and the need to decarbonise the building sector, the present thesis sets off to investigate the potential of cutting down on the carbon footprint of buildings, particularly office and commercial, by applying improved facade systems. Moreover, facade options are compared, in order to examine the effect they have on building performance and appearance. Various facade options were researched in literature, and the findings were applied and tested in re-cladding a case study building. The re-cladding options can be divided in three groups according to the strategies applied improved thermal conductivity of the envelop, use of sola shading devices and responsive solar transmittance of glazing, by applying electrochromic technology. They were tested through building simulation software TAS. The key issues of the building performance evaluated are the heating loads and the potential of overheating- which is connected with the use of air-conditioning. Analysis of BIPVs and cost analysis cover additional issues related with the facade options. After the research and evaluation of the facade options, the preferable option for re-cladding the case study building was found the use of electrochromic glazing. This conclusion covers not only the environmental performance but also the value of this option on the image of the building. The study concluded that improved facades can significantly reduce- about 90%- carbon footprint of the aging office building stock. It is also indicated the energy demand is not the only criterion when evaluating a facade performance, since a much wider range of issues are related, such as cost, payback period, health and comfort of the occupants and architectural appeal of the building.
Over the next decade investments in buildings energy saving need to increase, together with the r... more Over the next decade investments in buildings energy saving need to increase, together with the rate and depth of renovations, to achieve the required reduction in buildings related CO2 emissions. Although the need to improve residential buildings has been identified, guidelines come as general suggestion that fail to address the diversity of each project and give specific answers on how these requirements can be implemented in the design. During early design phases, architects are in search for a design direction to make informed decisions, particularly with regard to the building envelope, which mostly regulated energy demand. To result into a sustainable existing residential stock, this paper proposes a methodology to support refurbishment strategies design. The result or the proposed methodology enables designers to make informed decisions that generated energy and sustainability conscious designs, without dictating an optimal solution, from the energy point of view alone. Its applicability is validated through interviews with refurbishment stakeholders.
Journal of Building Engineering
TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment
In the façade sector, the ecological and circular transition requires the adoption of new busines... more In the façade sector, the ecological and circular transition requires the adoption of new business models that exploit the value of the material as much as possible. In this context, the Internet of Things (IoT) is identified as a potential innovation driver for the widespread use of circular approaches. The aim of the paper is to clarify the role of IoT in enabling five circular business models in the façade sector. The potential benefits of an IoT-based façade system are highlighted through a matrix underscoring the relationship between information produced and key actions to achieve the innovative business models. The research discussion and findings open the debate on the perspective of digitally integrated building components.
Journal of Building Engineering
The use of energy in buildings is a complex problem, but it can be reduced and alleviated by maki... more The use of energy in buildings is a complex problem, but it can be reduced and alleviated by making appropriate decisions. Therefore, architects face a major and responsible task of designing the built environment in such a way that its energy dependence will be reduced to a minimum, while at the same time being able to provide comfortable living conditions. Today, architects have many tools at their disposal, facilitating the design process and simultaneously ensuring proper assessment in the early stages of building design. The purpose of this book is to present ongoing research from the universities involved in the project Creating the Network of Knowledge Labs for Sustainable and Resilient Environments (KLABS). This book attempts to highlight the problem of energy use in buildings and propose certain solutions. It consists of nine chapters, organised in three parts. The gathering of chapters into parts serves to identify the different themes that the designer needs to consider, ...
Steemers, Koen ORCID: 0000-0001-8135-158X https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8135-158X, Gohari Krangsås, Savis ORCID: 0000-0001-6546-4226 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6546-4226, Ashrafian, Touraj ORCID: 0000-0001-9243-7071 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9243-7071, Giancola, Emanuela ORCID: 0000-0003-2..., 2021
Journal of Cleaner Production