Abstract:
Sustainable design is often seen as conflicting with heritage conservation due to
the invasive measures required for new technologies, challenging the principle of
minimal intervention. However, heritage conservation is also a form of sustainable
development, protecting social and cultural resources. Research shows that heritage
buildings can achieve high energy efficiency while preserving their value. Adaptive
reuse projects, like the 1940-built Polytechnic University of Tirana, exemplify this by
maintaining heritage integrity while meeting modern standards.
The goal of this thesis is to create a simulation of the Polytechnic University of
Tirana using building energy modeling software to understand its current energy
usage. This serves as our baseline. Additionally, we aim to explore the potential
benefits of various sustainable measures. These measures include adding thermal
insulation, installing double-glazed windows, adding shading to the facade,
implementing internal lighting controls, using natural ventilation, and installing solar
panels on the roofs. According to the thermal analysis of the object, the most efficient
intervention for enhancing energy performance is the implementation of photovoltaic
(PV) panels. This intervention leads to a significant energy saving of 49.10%
compared to the base case.
Using DesignBuilder software, we found that sustainable interventions reduced
energy consumption by 20.18% on average, showing that heritage buildings can be
made sustainable without compromising their historical and cultural significance.
