6 myths of serial renovation
When ecoworks brought the serial renovation to Germany for the first time in 2019, the concept was still viewed with some skepticism by many. “A purely theoretical approach” was often said in the industry. Getting involved in this approach and actually carrying out projects was still a bold decision made by a few back then.
The leap to the established method has now been made. There are a variety of projects, technical innovations and start-ups all over the world that are completely dedicated to the idea of implementing restructuring measures in series. And in Germany, too, inventory owners are increasingly relying on industrial prefabrication for energy-efficient renovation.
Interest in serial approaches has therefore increased enormously in recent years. And yet, some myths persist in the industry. Are they still justified or are they now obsolete? We would like to shed some light on this issue of our new newsletter!
Myth number 1: Serial refurbishment can only be applied to a few, very simple buildings!
In the first serial renovations, only two to four-storey buildings with a simple typology were implemented. However, as a result of the development of technology, more and more roof and façade shapes can now be taken into account. Even extensions and buildings up to the nine-story high-rise building line are no longer a problem for the serial approach. For example, we are currently working on new solutions for the process-free integration of building technology into facades and the further development of designs for more complex façade cubatures.
It is precisely through such paths that serial restructuring is constantly evolving as an approach and is gaining more and more flexibility in its applicability. Thanks to this development, we are already able to meet more than 50% of demand — a figure that we will be able to increase by ten to twenty percentage points in the coming months and years.
Myth 2: Serial refurbishment is too expensive!
Conventional renovations often consist of many individual measures that are pursued over a long period of time with a moderate efficiency target. Serial renovations On the other hand, take a holistic approach (bundled measures) with a shorter construction period and often more ambitious efficiency goals (EH 55 EE). Depending on the level of renovation required in each case, the efficient building envelope and the generation of heat and electricity from renewable energy sources complement each other ideally.
As a result of the cost reduction in recent years, the full costs of an industrially prefabricated project (EH 55 EE) are currently around ten to twenty percent higher than those of a conventional, conventional renovation (efficiency house 70). This gap is being offset by KfW funding, in particular by the serial restructuring bonus of fifteen percent. Including other factors — such as the option to refurbish while occupied, energy cost savings, and an increase in asset value — serial renovations are already more than competitive today.
However, when looking at individual projects, one decisive factor is still missing: the “serial”. From just one serial pilot concept, many similar inventories can be renovated in series with just a few adjustments. As a result, planning costs fall and prefabrication is also becoming ever cheaper with increasing volumes due to industrial cost reduction.
Myth 3: Serially renovated buildings all look the same!
You can and should certainly argue about the taste from the 1950s to the 1980s. Nevertheless, the architecture of buildings is of course retained even after extensive renovation measures. So what can be a reasonable requirement for serial restructuring here?
Unfortunately, it is still rare today that a design requirement is also implemented in the renovation of existing buildings. And so you can still often see composite thermal systems and plaster facades, even in newly renovated settlements. Yet the renovation of the exterior façade in particular is the perfect opportunity to bring your own existing buildings into modern times in terms of architecture. Thanks to extensive sample catalogues and a wide selection of colors and materials, an individual exterior look is easy to create — despite serial production. With the method of serial renovation, including a well-developed design concept, a significantly higher aesthetic standard can be achieved.
This is also clearly visible in the very different designs of our ongoing and planned projects.
Myth 4: It's not worth upgrading to EH55!
The respective paths to decarbonization are as diverse as the German holdings. Each company strives to choose the most suitable restructuring strategy for their portfolio. The bottom line is that there is often a common goal: to successfully transform your own buildings to low-temperature capacity.
Achieving this transformation is absolutely no problem with a serial approach. In a joint exchange of goals, wishes and obstacles, an optimum of energy efficiency and construction costs can be worked out for every need. With a good knowledge of the funding landscape, even higher efficiency classes can often be achieved than previously thought! For example, the KfW repayment subsidy for EH 55 EE serial renovated buildings is 35 percent, while for EH 70 conventionally renovated buildings, it is only ten percent. It is therefore important to make the right balance and good advice.
The path to climate neutrality is difficult for almost all housing companies to finance across their entire portfolio — affordable climate neutrality is only possible through a smart, scalable approach.
Myth 5: Serial renovation is only worthwhile if no other renovation measures have been carried out on the property so far!
The serial refurbishment of ecoworks is a concept that comprises several trades. As a rule, the outer shell, basement and roof are renewed, PV systems and heat pumps are installed and, if necessary, upgrades or the installation of balconies are carried out. But that doesn't mean that this approach is only suitable for buildings that have so far been completely unrenovated.
The process is aimed primarily at inefficient buildings in energy classes D-H with the highest possible need for renovation. What sounds like a small number of buildings actually corresponds to around 65 percent of apartment buildings in Germany. However, if minor measures have already been carried out, these can be taken into account from the outset and included in restructuring plans to be developed. Only almost completely renovated buildings do not require complex prefabrication of entire building envelopes from the factory.
Myth 6: The maintenance costs for the façade elements are unbearable!
We often see this question as an argument against real wood, which naturally grays over time. However, serial facades can be made from very different and very durable materials.
Well-aged wood offers many ecological benefits and — with a deliberate graying finish — also very elegant, design options. Fiber cement, in turn, can be used in various structures and colors and has a high resistance to weather and light over many decades. Flat veneers offer a third option, which can also be used to achieve brick looks, for example. The options are therefore extremely diverse. The only exception is plaster facades, which have not yet been delivered to the construction site without destruction for logistical reasons. However, these would not be the easiest option to maintain anyway.
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