Partner und Internationale Organisationen
(Englisch)
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BRE (UK) (coordination), CSTB (F), FhG/IBP (D), SBI (DK), TNO (NL), NOA (GR)
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Abstract
(Englisch)
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The evaluation tool (called EPIQR-method) a computer based multi-media program which is applicable on existing apartment buildings is to be used by architects and engineers at the very beginning as well as during the retrofitting and refurbishment process.
The main objective of this project is the development of an evaluation tool aiming to assess information on retrofitting needs, and the costs and the planning of activities to meet these needs with respect to the optimisation of energy consumption, the use of renewable (solar) energy and the improvement of the indoor environment.
The Swiss partners did the following:
-Updating and corrections of the MERIP method. Based on a long experience on numerous buildings located in a great number of Swiss towns and villages a list of weaknesses and errors had been set up. It was therefore necessary to correct and update the MERIP method in view of its extension to European countries
Cost revision
The problem of extending the cost file to all the participating countries (leading partner: CSTB, France) is a very hard one because of the lack of uniformity in the pricing structure in the different countries. The cost revision in Switzerland was an absolute necessity because of the leading of this data base taken as a reference data base in many price comparisons. Pointing out the differences in structure, methods and unitary prices (per element, per work, per unit area, etc.) is one of the great interest of the EPIQR project.
-Translation of the list of building elements, their state of deterioration and the corresponding works.
This particular part of the project accomplished is close collaboration with BRE (UK) made clear that if there is a very close relationship in the way buildings are constructed and run all over Europe (from Greece to Denmark and UK) many local habits, traditions or constraints influence the vocabulary as well as the way elements, state of deterioration and the corresponding works are described.
The EPFL-BRE work produced two data bases, one in french, the other in english used as reference base to their further translation in German (in close collaboration with our german-speaking colleague. T. Stöckli), Danish, Dutch and Greek.
This is one of the leading activities and major collaboration to the project.
The Swiss team has developed the software interface as well as the method data basis. The interface is exactly the same for all participating countries but translated in the different national languages. The data basis are filled-in with national data. The Swiss version has been translated in French, German and Italian.
The software is made of 5 modules:
1. Diagnosis
For each building element four states of deterioration are described and illustrated with pictures taken on different buildings. The corresponding refurbishment works are described. The visual building deterioration catalogue is filled in with about 600 pictures.
2. Questionnaire
A questionnaire to be filled in by the occupants can be statistically processed by the software. This allows to make a link between the occupants complaints and the planned refurbishment works.
3. Energy balance
The building energy balance can be computed with the help of a user friendly interface that allows a quick and easy input of the building data. The computation method is the European prEN832.
4. Refurbishment scenario
This module allows the user to build up various personalized refurbishment scenarios. Costs are given by the program for each scenario and building element.
5. Report
The EPIQR software gives the opportunity to the user to set up reports describing the present state of the building, its energy balance, energy needs and refurbishment costs according to the selected refurbishment scenarios. The costs may be classified by element or CFC (Swiss construction costs code of CRB).
-Structure and content of database.
The EPIQR software contains a set of database such as energy performance, building deterioration, retrofit, indoor environment quality (IEQ), cost and investment planning. The setting up of these data bases was shared among the participants but EPFL had t~ give a precise definition of the data base structure (inside the EPIQR software). EPFL had close collaboration with the institutions in charge of the different domains:
-Energy performance (NOA, SBI and IBP)
-Building deterioration (EPFL and NOA)
-Retrofit(BRE)
-Indoor environment quality (TNO)
-Cost and investment planning (CSTB and EPFL)
The data basis contain all the information useful to the method : description of the elements, of the deteriorations, of the possible refurbishment works and retrofits together with the related costs, etc. It contains also tables of Swiss and European climatic conditions as well as a construction elements library (walls, ceilings, floors) together with their thermal characteristics.
The software is written in Visual Basic, the data basis in Microsoft ACCESS. It runs on a PC under Windows 95 and may be used by architects and engineers with little knowledge in informatics.
-List of criteria for the selection of representative apartment buildings. In order to be able to test the EPIQR method in the frame of the project, representative apartment buildings had to be chosen. A list of criteria was established in order to facilitate the choice of the buildings to be made in the different countries.
-First proposal of report structure.
In a final commercial version, the EPIQR software should allow the user to produce a comprehensive report, key document to further discussions with the refubishment project partners. This report is going to take various aspects in order to correspond in the best way to the particular needs of the various countries.
A first proposal of the EPIQR report structure has been set up by EPFL and discussed with the project partners. It is a start-up version that can further be extended by the participating countries according to their particular needs.
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