Measurement results and experiences from an energy renovation of a typical Danish single-family house

Energy renovation of existing buildings has a large potential for cost effective energy savings. However, it is a major challenge to develop and implement the technologies for reducing the energy use in existing buildings to a very low level in combination with renovation of the buildings. To demonstrate how it could be done in small residential buildings a thorough retrofitting of a single-family house from 1972 was carried out. The house was brought up to the energy performance level of a new house. The energy renovation has reduced the net room heating consumption from 27.8 to 12.7 MWh/year corresponding to a 54 % reduction. The energy renovation project has proven that it is possible to renovate a typical Danish single-family house from the 1960/70’s in a cost efficient manner to roughly the energy performance standard of a new Danish single-family house. As a positive side effect the living conditions have been greatly improved. In the paper the author also describes the lessons learned during the process of renovating the house.