Modelling of long-term deep renovation strategies for the Belgian building stock

To achieve the EU energy targets for 2050, the construction sector has to perform major transformations. In Belgium, the majority of building stock is particularly old and energy inefficient. The high performance of new constructions represented in the nearly zero energy buildings target is not sufficient to ensure the efficiency of the overall building sector. Therefore, it is crucial to put in place a progressive renovation policy. Despite the different renovation strategies and projects that took place in the recent year in Belgium, the overall renovation rate remains almost stable for the last ten years. This study focuses on the renovation market in Belgium and analyzes the factors that influence the evolution of the renovation rate. The objective is the identification and development of effective strategies bypass that leads to increased renovation rates in Belgium. The research methodology is based on an iterative process, based on a systematic literature review of Flemish and Walloon projects, publications and policy. These first work package will allow to identify factors influencing the renovation rate and in other hand to build a model of the existing building stock. Impacts of the influencing factors on the building stock are simulated in the fourth work package in order to propose an action plan in the last part. Three mains outcomes are expected: A model of the existing building stock in Belgium and its retrofit potential, a simulation of the effects of different strategies used to increase the renovation rate in Belgium and a theoretical action plan on strategies to increase the rate of renovation in Belgium. These results are necessary to inform and support the decision making of policy makers, municipalities and operational planning authorities across Belgium