Energy Efficiency of Historic Buildings

Cultural heritage is recognized as a vital component of the sustainable development. In this direction, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined by the United Nations (UN) contain an explicit target on “heritage” that calls for making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by strengthening their efforts on protection and safeguarding. Modern cities are the result of human settlements, which led to the coexistence of buildings from different ages through a series of transformations, conservation, and renewal processes. Each historical period follows well-defined and differentiated features, according to local resources, economic opportunities, and traditional knowledge. Historic and traditional buildings, and consequently cities and towns, are inherently sensitive to the climate, thanks to the optimization of natural sources of heating, lighting, and ventilation. They use local and durable materials and construction techniques that are readily available, require low energy for transportation and production, and generate waste reduction. Every building is unique and must be deeper studied to be preserved, maintained, and retrofitted in a correct way.

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