A sensitivity analysis of a cost optimality study on the energy retrofit of a single-family reference building in Portugal

Improvement of the energy efficiency of residential buildings must ensure compliance with cost optimality criteria, assuming a specific lifespan of the building. At the same time, the energy retrofit of buildings ought to preserve their intrinsic architectural and heritage value. Portuguese residential buildings constructed before 1960 did not follow any energy efficiency rules. They represent 29% of the housing stock in the country and there is a high potential for increasing their energy efficiency. However, it costs more to implement envelope energy efficiency measures through retrofitting works than to provide for them in new buildings. An evaluation based on cost optimality criteria should therefore be performed. This work evaluates the energy performance of a Portuguese reference building typical of the pre-1960 building stock for different thicknesses of thermal insulation retrofit solutions (roof, facade, and ground floor) and systems. The study describes a sensitivity analysis that took a range of climate data, intervention costs, energy prices, discount rates, and energy needs into account. An energy needs factor dealt with the occupants’ habits and the effective reduction of energy consumption compared with the estimated energy needs.