Barriers to the Delivery of Building Renovations for Improved Energy Performance: A Literature Review and Case Study

To achieve national goals to reduce the energy use and carbon emissions from buildings, there is a need to efficiently renovate the existing building stock to improve energy performance. In response to this need, this study includes a literature review of barriers to the delivery of renovation projects. The barriers and solutions offered in the literature are compared to barriers and solutions from a case study of a successful building renovation for improved energy performance. For example, one barrier to building renovations for improved energy performance is unforeseen conditions, which can cause project schedule delays and cost increases. A potential solution for this barrier, identified in the literature and in the case study, is the use of a comprehensive building inspection guide to evaluate existing building conditions and reduce the risk of unforeseen conditions. Widespread adoption of this and other solutions will help deliver affordable renovations for improved building energy performance, which is a necessary step for increased market penetration.