Energy Efficiency Improvement on the Example of Modern Movement Buildings

Buildings from the modern era require a comprehensive study of the interaction between architecture, function, structure and building climate prior to renovation. The energy index of existing houses is much higher in comparison to today’s standard for new houses. Seventy years after they were built, it is unavoidable that many building components and interior fittings are worn out. Better energy efficiency can be achieved only by physical change to the building fabric, so the main goal of this research was to investigate how to improve energy efficiency in a way that it does not harm the special interest of historic buildings or increase the risk of long-term deterioration to existing fabric. Retaining existing elements of construction in historic buildings and seeking to enhance their thermal performance in benign ways is a heritage conservation principle in line with the concept of sustainability. Conditions and requirements in terms of building physics and climate present new challenges in the practice of heritage conservation. This research shows that with the appropriate renovation measures the energy requirement of existing houses can be brought up to today’s standard for newly built houses. Differences in applying renovation measures result from the level of building conservation.