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Support for the energy rehabilitation of 1,180 homes in Barcelona

Proposals to improve energy rehabilitation and assist with obtaining public subsidies
Client 
CEVASA
Location 
Barcelona
Period 
2014 - 2016

Motivation

CEVASA, Compañía Española de Viviendas en Alquiler SA, a Spanish rented housing company, operates two large private housing developments with more than 1,180 rental homes built in 1975 in Barcelona’s Avinguda Meridiana.

As part of efforts to reduce energy consumption and improve user comfort, CEVASA commissioned ERF to study the possibilities for improving its construction operation, in particular the thermal envelope and installed systems. The results from this study persuaded CEVASA to draft a construction project to implement improvements to the building envelope, and the company also commissioned ERF to assist in the task of obtaining public subsidies for the rehabilitation of buildings.

ERF carried out the following tasks:

  • Initial assessment of the energy rehabilitation
    • Energy characterisation and certification of existing buildings (tool: CE3X). Processing of energy label formalities.
    • Cost-benefit analysis of proposed improvements to buildings and energy classification of improved buildings (tool: CE3X).
  • Detailed assessment of the energy rehabilitation.
    • Adaptation of proposals.
    • Simulation of buildings using the HULC unified tool to ensure compliance with technical building codes (HE0 and HE1).

Results

The existing buildings had heating demand of 64 kWh/m2 per year and were energy class F. Thanks to the improvements finally implemented, heating demand will be reduced to 44 kWh/m2 per year and the buildings’ energy classification will rise to Class E, with overall savings of 31%.

The improvements finally implemented on the thermal envelope were:

• Exterior insulation of façades: application of 8 cm external insulation (SATE solution).

• Exterior insulation of roofs: waterproofing and application of 6 cm insulation.

• Improvement of glass and carpentry: installation of double glazing (4/16/4) and new carpentry to reduce consumption and noise pollution. 

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