IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i14p6655-d1706635.html

Enhancing the Energy Performance of Historic Buildings Using Heritage Building Information Modelling: A Case Study

Author

Listed:
  • Mina Kakouei

    (School of Built Environment, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand)

  • Monty Sutrisna

    (School of Built Environment, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand)

  • Eziaku Rasheed

    (School of Built Environment, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand)

  • Zhenan Feng

    (School of Built Environment, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand)

Abstract

Heritage building conservation plays a special role in addressing modern sustainability challenges by preserving the cultural identity, retrofitting, restoring, and renovating these structures to improve energy performance, which is crucial for revitalisation. This research aims to use Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) to increase energy efficiency and environmental sustainability in historic buildings. Retrofitting heritage buildings presents unique challenges and opportunities to simultaneously reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions while maintaining historical integrity. Traditional approaches are often insufficient to meet heritage structures’ energy needs. Modern technologies such as information building modelling and energy simulations can offer solutions. HBIM is a vigorous digital framework that facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration and offers detailed insights into building restoration and energy modelling. HBIM supports the integration of thermal and energy efficiency measures while maintaining the authenticity of heritage architecture by creating a comprehensive database. Using a case study heritage building, this research demonstrates how retrofitting the different aspects of heritage buildings can improve energy performance. Evaluating the preservation of heritage buildings’ cultural and architectural values and the effectiveness of using HBIM to model energy performance offers a viable framework for sustainable retrofitting of heritage buildings.

Suggested Citation

  • Mina Kakouei & Monty Sutrisna & Eziaku Rasheed & Zhenan Feng, 2025. "Enhancing the Energy Performance of Historic Buildings Using Heritage Building Information Modelling: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-26, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:14:p:6655-:d:1706635
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/14/6655/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/14/6655/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ascione, Fabrizio & Ceroni, Francesca & De Masi, Rosa Francesca & de’ Rossi, Filippo & Pecce, Maria Rosaria, 2017. "Historical buildings: Multidisciplinary approach to structural/energy diagnosis and performance assessment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1517-1528.
    2. Akkurt, G.G. & Aste, N. & Borderon, J. & Buda, A. & Calzolari, M. & Chung, D. & Costanzo, V. & Del Pero, C. & Evola, G. & Huerto-Cardenas, H.E. & Leonforte, F. & Lo Faro, A. & Lucchi, E. & Marletta, L, 2020. "Dynamic thermal and hygrometric simulation of historical buildings: Critical factors and possible solutions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    3. Cristina Piselli & Jessica Romanelli & Matteo Di Grazia & Augusto Gavagni & Elisa Moretti & Andrea Nicolini & Franco Cotana & Francesco Strangis & Henk J. L. Witte & Anna Laura Pisello, 2020. "An Integrated HBIM Simulation Approach for Energy Retrofit of Historical Buildings Implemented in a Case Study of a Medieval Fortress in Italy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Alessia Buda & Ernst Jan de Place Hansen & Alexander Rieser & Emanuela Giancola & Valeria Natalina Pracchi & Sara Mauri & Valentina Marincioni & Virginia Gori & Kalliopi Fouseki & Cristina S. Polo Lóp, 2021. "Conservation-Compatible Retrofit Solutions in Historic Buildings: An Integrated Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, March.
    5. Andrew Williamson & Stephen Finnegan, 2021. "Sustainability in Heritage Buildings: Can We Improve the Sustainable Development of Existing Buildings under Approved Document L?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-29, March.
    6. Torres-Rivas, Alba & Palumbo, Mariana & Haddad, Assed & Cabeza, Luisa F. & Jiménez, Laureano & Boer, Dieter, 2018. "Multi-objective optimisation of bio-based thermal insulation materials in building envelopes considering condensation risk," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 602-614.
    7. Gao, Hao & Koch, Christian & Wu, Yupeng, 2019. "Building information modelling based building energy modelling: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 320-343.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cristina Cornaro & Gianluigi Bovesecchi & Filippo Calcerano & Letizia Martinelli & Elena Gigliarelli, 2023. "An HBIM Integrated Approach Using Non-Destructive Techniques (NDT) to Support Energy and Environmental Improvement of Built Heritage: The Case Study of Palazzo Maffei Borghese in Rome," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-36, July.
    2. Belén Onecha & Alicia Dotor & Carlos Marmolejo-Duarte, 2021. "Beyond Cultural and Historic Values, Sustainability as a New Kind of Value for Historic Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Mohammad S. Albdour & Mohammad Shalby & Ahmad A. Salah & Fadi Alhomaidat, 2022. "Evaluating and Enhancing the Energy Efficiency of Representative Residential Buildings by Applying National and International Standards Using BIM," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Agnieszka Leśniak & Monika Górka & Izabela Skrzypczak, 2021. "Barriers to BIM Implementation in Architecture, Construction, and Engineering Projects—The Polish Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, April.
    5. Arash Hosseini Gourabpasi & Farzad Jalaei & Mehdi Ghobadi, 2025. "Developing an openBIM Information Delivery Specifications Framework for Operational Carbon Impact Assessment of Building Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-22, January.
    6. Alessia Buda & Ernst Jan de Place Hansen & Alexander Rieser & Emanuela Giancola & Valeria Natalina Pracchi & Sara Mauri & Valentina Marincioni & Virginia Gori & Kalliopi Fouseki & Cristina S. Polo Lóp, 2021. "Conservation-Compatible Retrofit Solutions in Historic Buildings: An Integrated Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, March.
    7. Yang, Jianming & Lin, Zhongqi & Wu, Huijun & Chen, Qingchun & Xu, Xinhua & Huang, Gongsheng & Fan, Liseng & Shen, Xujun & Gan, Keming, 2020. "Inverse optimization of building thermal resistance and capacitance for minimizing air conditioning loads," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 975-986.
    8. Ángel Benigno González-Avilés & Carlos Pérez-Carramiñana & Antonio Galiano-Garrigós & Fernando Ibarra-Coves & Claudia Lozano-Romero, 2022. "Analysis of the Energy Efficiency of Le Corbusier’s Dwellings: The Cité Frugès, an Opportunity to Reuse Garden Cities Designed for Healthy and Working Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, April.
    9. Luca Evangelisti & Edoardo De Cristo & Salvatore Monteleone & Claudia Guattari & Paola Gori & Ivan Pini & Tullio de Rubeis & Dario Ambrosini, 2025. "A New Customized Measurement System for a Non-Contact, Enhanced Thermometric Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-17, March.
    10. Paweł Sokołowski & Grzegorz Nawalany & Tomasz Jakubowski & Ernest Popardowski & Vasyl Lopushniak & Atilgan Atilgan, 2022. "Numerical Analysis of Thermal Impact between the Cooling Facility and the Ground," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-16, December.
    11. Jianwu Xiong & Linlin Chen & Yin Zhang, 2023. "Building Energy Saving for Indoor Cooling and Heating: Mechanism and Comparison on Temperature Difference," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-20, July.
    12. Forde, Joe & Hopfe, Christina J. & McLeod, Robert S. & Evins, Ralph, 2020. "Temporal optimization for affordable and resilient Passivhaus dwellings in the social housing sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    13. Cristina Piselli & Alessio Guastaveglia & Jessica Romanelli & Franco Cotana & Anna Laura Pisello, 2020. "Facility Energy Management Application of HBIM for Historical Low-Carbon Communities: Design, Modelling and Operation Control of Geothermal Energy Retrofit in a Real Italian Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-18, December.
    14. Gourlis, Georgios & Kovacic, Iva, 2016. "A study on building performance analysis for energy retrofit of existing industrial facilities," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 1389-1399.
    15. Sanjin Gumbarević & Ivana Burcar Dunović & Bojan Milovanović & Mergim Gaši, 2020. "Method for Building Information Modeling Supported Project Control of Nearly Zero-Energy Building Delivery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-21, October.
    16. Zhang, Sheng & Liu, Jun & Zhang, Xia & Wang, Fenghao, 2024. "Properly shortening design time scale of medium-deep borehole heat exchanger for high building heating performances with high computational efficiency," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    17. Larrea-Sáez, Lorena & Muñoz, Enrique & Cuevas, Cristian & Casas-Ledón, Yannay, 2024. "Optimizing insulation and heating systems for social housing in Chile: Insights for sustainable energy policies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    18. Clyde Zhengdao Li & Yiqian Deng & Yingyi Ya & Vivian W. Y. Tam & Chen Lu, 2023. "Applications of Information Technology in Building Carbon Flow," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-23, December.
    19. Yu Cao & Liyan Huang & Nur Mardhiyah Aziz & Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman, 2022. "Building Information Modelling (BIM) Capabilities in the Design and Planning of Rural Settlements in China: A Systematic Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-34, October.
    20. Flavio Rosa, 2020. "Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) in Historical Buildings: Opportunities and Constraints," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-28, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:14:p:6655-:d:1706635. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.