Local REGEN, Multi-criteria methodology for the evaluation of local renovation strategies of housing

Resumen

The Energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD) and the Energy efficiency directive (EED) recommend EU countries to use measurable progress indicators to monitor the impact of the national buildings renovation strategies on the gradual decarbonisation of the national building stocks. In Spain, the implementation of housing renovation strategies is delegated to local Administrations, and therefore it is at this level where the measurement of the impact should start. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the local strategies and action plans do not only depend on energy-efficiency or building performance matters, but also on socioeconomic and management-related issues. In recent years, multi-criteria assessment (MC) systems and life cycle perspective methods have included this comprehensive view in the assessment. The combination of these two methods should have great potential for the objectives pursued and would constitute an interesting scientific advance. This communication presents the Local-REGEN (Multi-criteria methodology for the evaluation of local renovation strategies of housing from the perspective of Life Cycle thinking) Project funded by the Ministry of Spain within the program “R+D+i Projects” 2019 - Modalities “Research Challenges” and “Knowledge Generation”. The main objective of this coordinated project developed between the University of the Basque Country and the University of Zaragoza is to define methodology for the assessment of the impact of the local strategies for housing renovation, based on progress indicators that are broad enough to encompass the specificities of different territories of Spain. The local strategies of two Autonomous Communities will be used as case studies, the Basque Country and Aragón. Each subproject will work with their local Administrations. The methods and tasks will be coordinated and the results will be shared, both among the subprojects and with the entities that are working on updating the strategy at the national level, to progress in a common framework of indicators and a multi-criteria methodology for the evaluation of local strategies for housing rehabilitation under the Life Cycle perspective. The selection of indicators will be done, on a case by case basis, in collaboration with each of the local Administrations. However, we already know from previous studies and collaborations that the indicators should deal at least with (i) the estimation of the deep renovation rate, (ii) the public subsidy, (iii) the renovation costs, (iii) the generation of employment, (iv) the environmental benefits of the energy retrofit, (v) and the monitoring of mechanisms for enhancing neighbours implication and overcoming the financial barriers, such as occupants health improvement and urban revitalisation. The two last issues (iv and v) represent the highest uncertainty for Administrations, financial institutions and investors, and the main scientific challenge for the project.