Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Construction Industry Development Board Postgraduate Research Conference

CIDB 2019: The Construction Industry in the Fourth Industrial Revolution pp 485–496Cite as

Using Case Study Design to Investigate the Delivery of Building Energy Retrofit Projects

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:

  • 1892 Accesses

Abstract

The potential for reductions in carbon emissions in the built environment is significant. However, unlocking the potential presents a problem. To better comprehend the problem and advance solutions, a desktop case-study research design on retrofits was adopted to generate textual data. The textual data were analysed. These reveal different innovative and proactive tools required to attain efficiency in the delivery of building energy retrofit projects (BERP). The study unravels the retrofit features of the project, recorded challenges, and lessons learnt from each of the project. Subsequently, a literal replication of the study were carried out and the result shows that no single BER projects are the same in terms of delivery due to many factors such as age, use, materials, thermal mass, location, orientation and occupancy as the study suggested. The research concludes with a motivation for socio-technical approach to retrofitting exercise.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Wolfe, A.K., Malone, E.L., Heerwagen, J., Dion, J.: Behavioral Change and Building Performance: Strategies for Significant, Persistent, and Measurable Institutional Change: Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC05-76RL01830 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, Washington 99352 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Abrahamse, W., Steg, L., Vlek, C., Rottengatter, T.: A review of intervention studies aimed at household energy conservation. J. Environ. Psychol. 25, 273–291 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Turner, C., Frankel, M.: Energy Performance of LEED for New Construction Buildings. New Buildings Institute, Vancouver, WA (2008). www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=3930

  4. Cole, R.J.: Motivating stakeholders to deliver environmental change. Build. Res. Inf. 39, 431–435 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Winkler, H.: Long-term mitigation scenarios: technical appendix. Prepared by the Energy Research Centre for the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Pretoria, October 2007. http://www.erc.uct.ac.za/Research/publications/07-Winkler-LTMSTechnicalpercentage20Report.pdf. Accessed 15 Aug 2018

  6. Unruh, G.C.: Understanding carbon lock-in. Energy Policy 28(12), 817–830 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Lombard, L.J.: Empirical study into the benefits of the retrofitting of existing commercial buildings to improve energy efficiency. MSc research report. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Miller, E., Buys, L.: Retrofitting commercial office buildings for sustainability: tenants expectations and experiences. In: Management and Innovation for a Sustainable Built Environment, vol. 3, pp. 33–50 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Ma, Z., Cooper, P., Daly, D., Ledo, L.: Existing building retrofits: methodology and state-of-the-art. Energy Build. 55, 889–902 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Wilkinson, S.: The sustainable retrofit potential in lower quality office stock in the central business district. In: Management and Innovation for a Sustainable Built Environment. Amsterdam (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cheung, M., Foo, S., Granadino, J.: Seismic retrofit of existing buildings: innovative alternatives. Public works and government services, Canada, pp. 1–10 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Wilkinson, S.: Analysing sustainable retrofit potential in premium office buildings. Struct. Surv. 30, 398–410 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Gray, D.E.: Doing Research in the Real World, 3rd edn. SAGE publishing Ltd, London (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Sutrisna, M.: Research methodology in doctoral research: understanding the meaning of conducting qualitative research. Working paper presented in ARCOM Doctorial Workshop. John Moores University, Liverpool, 12 May 2009

    Google Scholar 

  15. Goddard, W., Melville, S.: Research Methodology: An Introduction, 2nd edn. Blackwell Publishing, Lansdowne (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bernard, H.R.: Research Methods in Anthropology, 5th edn, p. 7. Alta Mira Press, Lanham (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A.: Research Methods for Business Students, 6th edn. Pearson Education Limited, Harlow (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Neuman, W.L.: Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Allyn and Bacon, Boston (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lodico, M.G., Spaulding, D.T., Voegtle, K.H.: Methods in Educational Research: From Theory to Practice, p. 10. Wiley, San Francisco (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Hewitt, N.J.: Retrofit of existing buildings – a major technical, economic and social challenge. Int. J. Ambient Energy 33(1), 1 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1080/01430750.2012.666893

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Pielke, R.A.: The carbon economy and climate mitigation: an editorial essay. WIREs Clim. Change 1, 770–772 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa

    Chikezirim Okorafor & Fidelis Emuze

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa

    Dillip Kumar Das

Authors
  1. Chikezirim Okorafor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fidelis Emuze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dillip Kumar Das
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chikezirim Okorafor .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Construction management and Quantity Surveying, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

    Clinton Aigbavboa

  2. Construction management and Quantity Surveying, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

    Wellington Thwala

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Okorafor, C., Emuze, F., Das, D.K. (2020). Using Case Study Design to Investigate the Delivery of Building Energy Retrofit Projects. In: Aigbavboa, C., Thwala, W. (eds) The Construction Industry in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. CIDB 2019. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26528-1_49

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26528-1_49

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-26527-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-26528-1

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation