Sustainable Renovation of Soviet Buildings of First Mass Series : Possibilities for Energy-Efficiency

The research project was carried out in order to determine the need and potential for renovation and reconstruction of Soviet buildings of first mass series, as well as to define the most optimal renovation solution in terms of improving the building’s overall performance, reducing energy consumption, and reaching the current requirements for energy efficiency in the buildings. The goal was also to find out the minimal energy-efficient measures that can lead to such improvements. The project was carried out by conducting a broad theory research with different perspectives on the solutions for the topic, and an analysis of possible renovation solutions in terms of their energy and cost efficiency. The analysis was performed as a case study of a particular building of the most common series with the greatest potential for renovation in St Petersburg. The result of the project is the determination of the need for renovation and reconstruction measures for buildings of first mass series in Russia. The calculations showed a great potential of renovation and its economic feasibility. With the help of energy and cost-efficiency calculations it was possible to determine the most optimal and sustainable option for renovation for the studied building. The proposed solution includes complex reconstruction with the construction of an extra upper floor on an existing building as well as few energy-efficient measures, such as extra thermal insulation of the building envelope and mechanical heat recovery ventilation. The carried-out research project proved that the renovation of the buildings of first mass series is necessary and economically viable. The proposed solutions can be applied not only to the chosen series with the greatest potential for reconstruction, but also for many other buildings of first mass series. The proposed solution could be further studied and applied to some buildings in the form of pilot projects to test the calculated potentials in the real-life situation