Energy-efficient building renovation is more urgent than ever. In Europe, tens of millions of buildings need to be renovated as part of the transition to energy neutrality. The energy crisis of 2022 has only made this need more pressing. The solution? A new way of renovating that is both revolutionary and innovative.
43 million homes are leaking energy
In Europe, 43 million homes need to undergo energy renovation in order for our continent to achieve its 2050 carbon neutrality target. This is a colossal task that represents a considerable cost for public authorities. But it also presents unprecedented opportunities for those who wish to exploit the potential of prefabricated construction.
The only way to accomplish this colossal task by 2050 is to renovate homes structurally and radically, installing solar panels and heat pumps, as well as an insulating envelope around the building, with entire facades and roofs assembled in a production hall. This system makes it possible to carry out large-scale projects, such as the energy renovation of a social housing neighborhood, in record time. In this case, record time can be taken literally: one day per house.
Welcome to your newly renovated home in the blink of an eye
BuildUp specializes in digitalized prefabricated construction. The start-up was founded in 2018 under the name beSteel, as a steel-frame construction company. Steel structures still form the basis, but BuildUp goes further. For new constructions and renovations, the building elements (walls, floors, and roofs) are all components assembled in the factory.
They are then literally slid onto an existing building within 24 hours. This revolutionary plug & play method is based on bio-based and circular materials. It has minimal impact on residents, as they simply stay in their homes during the work. In addition, this system generates less waste (another cost item) and guarantees zero margin for error thanks to digital design.
Quality of life for residents, new momentum for the neighborhood
The return on investment begins on day one with a dramatic reduction in energy bills for owners and residents. But they also gain in terms of enjoyment, comfort, and quality of life. The quality of Retrofitt products is absolute and guaranteed right down to the finishing touches.
Thanks to this solution, a renovated neighborhood can look as attractive and trendy as a newly built one in just a few days. This, of course, translates into significant social added value for residents, the neighborhood, and the municipality or city.
Wattrelos: a unique pilot project becomes the norm
Too good to be true? Not in Wattrelos, near Lille (France), where 160 social housing units have become energy neutral as part of a unique European energy renovation pilot project.
The houses, built in 1960, were a problem for the French social housing company and for the residents. In 10 months, 160 houses with an F energy rating were transformed into energy-neutral homes. A major asset for all parties involved and for the planet!
BuildUp designed new facades and roofs based on a digital model of the neighborhood. These elements were then produced in Aarschot and installed immediately in Wattrelos, covering the buildings with a climate envelope in rapid time! The result is there for all to see, in all its glory.
Video of the construction site in Wattrelos
Europe is a fan of Retrofitt and its climate envelope
The Wattrelos project has more than enough momentum. The urgency is therefore great. The project was carried out according to the Energiesprong concept, a European organization supported by the European Commission that aims to enable large-scale energy renovation of (social) housing. Energiesprong originated in the Netherlands and aims to renovate as many homes as possible to be energy neutral.
Energiesprong’s independent market development teams support pioneers in several countries. Their goal? To stimulate the market and help them create and implement these energy-neutral renovation projects. There were already such projects in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States, but not yet in Belgium. However, the extensive energy renovation advocated by Energiesprong and BuildUp is a unique weapon against the energy poverty that threatens us all.
What is off-site energy renovation?
- Energy renovation means radical energy neutrality (= a building or dwelling that produces the energy it needs itself)
- The building does not consume more energy than it produces
- Starting point: digital scan and measurements of the existing building
- The entire facades and roofs are assembled off-site (in a workshop), including insulation, windows, and doors.
- The walls and roofs are made up of layers of certified concrete-free materials.
- They are installed as an (insulating) envelope on the existing building.
- Additional installation of energy-efficient solutions: solar panels, heat pumps, etc.
- The entire construction is circular and maximally biobased.
“21 million social housing units in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany must undergo energy renovation by 2050. By using sustainable prefabricated walls and roofs, solutions such as those developed by BuildUp enable large-scale projects to be completed quickly. This is an essential lever for achieving the European Union’s climate goals in terms of energy neutrality.”
Sébastien Delpont, Director of Energiesprong France: