Intelligent Retrofits in Residential Buildings: A Knowledge-Based Approach

Abstract: Building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is crucial to mitigate the environmental impact of residential retrofits. However, a significant gap exists in evaluating the complexity of residential renovation. The proposed methodology integrates existing building material, stock data, typologies, and retrofit scenarios into the LCA process using an intelligent Knowledge Base System. The case study focuses on retrofitting the semi-detached housing typology, transitioning from a boiler to a heat pump, and results in a reduction of total carbon emissions to 184 tCO2e and 90 tCO2e over 60 years. This study provides energy policymakers and urban planners to promote sustainable building retrofit practices.