P a g e | 1

Building Services I

Energy Efficient In Heritage Building

Name: Hong Kai Yin (0323361)

Ngah Yea Zhe (0323204)

Elliot Pang Tiu Seng (0319438)

Welson Lum Wei Jiunn (0319514)

Jackson Ting Shii Hang (0324326)

P a g e | 2

CONTENTS PAGES

Cover Page 1

Introduction 2

Installation Process 3-9

Advantages And Disadvantages 10-13

Case Study 14-21

Hidden Problems 22-23

Recommendation For The Future 24-25

Learning 26-27

References 28

Appendices 29-30

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

P a g e | 3

It is believed that we have been living under the inheritance from the older generation.

Even before the modern construction machines had been invented, our great old people had

already used their wisdom to construct more and more buildings. However, those buildings

maybe be considered energy-inefficient as they are lack of suitable support such as humidifier

and those modern devices to reduce energy wastage. Due to the climate changes this century,

engineers and constructors brainstormed in order to prevent the greenhouse effect from

aggravating. To slow down the climate change, there are numerous measures to do so. But

one of the ways to decrease the climate changes is introducing energy efficiency in those old

buildings as those buildings required a renovation in their energy usage. This method will make

them consume less energy as well as lowering the cost. Government has to take action such as

introduction of technology to refurbish the heritage building while preserving their historical

appearance and structural integrity.

What is energy efficient? It is the way of how we manage and controlling the growth in

energy consumption. It defines the energy input and output of a certain location. For instance, a

machine consuming less energy than the others is considered as energy efficient. Energy

efficiency is not energy conservation. Energy efficiency is about the reduction of energy in a

place.

INSTALLATION PROCESS

P a g e | 4

Heritage building needs to strike an appropriate balance between building conservation

and energy conservation if lasting damage is to be avoided, both to the building’s significance

and its fabric. There are some installation processes that can be appropriately balanced

between the heritage buildings: green building and renovating, permits and regulations,

construction damage deposit, inspections, utilities locations.

I. Green Building and Renovating

Vancouver leads the world in green building design and construction. The city is working to

reduce the amount of energy consumed by the city's new homes 33% by 2020, with the goal of

making all new buildings "carbon neutral" by 2030.At the same time, greenhouse gas emissions

from existing buildings will be reduced by 20% over 2007 levels.

12 Ways to design your house to be energy efficient

P a g e | 5

1) Efficient Lightning

2) In-Home Energy Display

3) Gas Fireplace Efficiency

4) Window Perfomance

5) Ventilator

6) Exterior Walls

7) Toilets

8) Under-slab Insulation

9) Basement Walls

10) Pre Piping

11) Domestic Hot Water Supply Efficiency

12) Car Charger

II. Permits and Regulations

Building permits and regulations are enforced by the city of Vancouver to ensure safety and

livability for you, your neighbors, and future property owners and residents.

P a g e | 6

To keep Vancouver safe and livability: Reviews permit applications, and enforces regulations in a fair and consistent manner

To decrease the length and complexity of the permit process by introducing online services

and more efficient processes 

Enforces procedures to protect historic buildings and our urban forest during development

and renovations

Permits application process

Step 1 - Document the building before work begins

Take multiple, close-up colour photos of the building. The photos should provide enough details

so that staff can determine if the heritage fabric has been damaged after installations, or if other

changes have been removed. If exterior painting is proposed, the photos must provide good

colour accuracy.

Step 2 - Document the proposed changes

Describe and/or illustrate the proposed changes and temporary alterations on transparent

overlays to the photo-boards. The changes can be described on the overlays either as written

notes or a legend, with the overlay indicating where each code applies.

Step 3 - Arrange for a Letter of Assurance (if applicable)

You will need to arrange for a Letter of Assurance from a Certified Professional (Registered

Architect or Engineer) will be required if fasteners are being attached to the building or if original

building materials (such as windows), are temporarily removed.

The letter must confirm that the proposed interventions to the heritage fabric are all reversible.

The Certified Professional must inspect the site before and after the film shoot.

Step 4 - Arrange for a Letter of Credit

A development permit is necessary to make the proposed changes to the heritage site.

P a g e | 7

Before the City will issue that permit, you must provide a letter of credit from your bank as

security in the unlikely event that the heritage building  is not returned the to its pre-filming

condition.When you have the Letter of Credit, send it to the Film and Special Events Office.

Step 5 - Apply for a development permit 

Along with your completed application form, you must submit the following documents:

Three complete colour sets of documentation material  (from steps 1 and 2)

A letter of assurance, if applicable (see Step 3).

A letter of credit

The fee (payable by credit card, cash or cheque made out to the “City of Vancouver”)

Step 6 - Arrange for a final inspection

After the filming and “restoration” work are complete, the Certified Professional must inspect the

site. Based on those findings, the Certified Professional must then submit a letter or report

confirming if all changes to the heritage fabric have been restored to the pre-filming state.

If the heritage building is returned to a satisfactory condition, Heritage staff will arrange for the

release the Letter of Credit.

Timeline to apply your application

Allow at least one week for the City to process your application. Complex projects may require

more processing time.

III. Constructions Damage Deposit

The heritage buildings in Vancouver either renovations or new constructions will require a

refundable damage deposit before the building permit issued. The deposit will cover all the

damages of the City of Vancouver Property.

IV. Inspections

P a g e | 8

Inspections are to ensure that renovation or construction work complies with the relevant

bylaws, and meets the City's goals around life safety, accessibility and green buildings.

Inspection• Building inspection

• Draintile inspection

• Electrical inspection

• Fire sprinkler inspection

• Gas installation inspection

• Plumbing inspection

• Rock pin inspection

• Sidewalk inspection

• Tree-related inspection

Inspection which can involve in public and private property• Sewer inspection

• Sidewalk inspection

• Tree-related inspection

Inspection for special circumstances• Special inspection

Process and timeline of the constructions damage deposit and inspection fees.1. An inspector will inspect the site after you apply for the building permit. The

inspector will take photographs at that time to document the situation.

2. When you come in to pick up your permit, you pay the damage deposit and the

inspection fee.

3. Once the permit is issued, an inspector will check the site for any changes since

the initial inspection, and will update the information on file at that time.

4. After the construction work is completed, call Engineering Services to book an

inspection of the City property. The inspection will typically be scheduled within 1 week

(5 business days).

5. The inspection will take 30-45 minutes for a single-family home, and longer for

multi-family, commercial or industrial sites.

P a g e | 9

6. The deposit will be used to pay for repairs to any new damage to City property.

The balance of the deposit will be refunded to you. You will receive the cheque about 4

weeks after the final inspection.

Fees

Deposit FeeThe deposit will be at least $1,000. For single family homes, the fee is typically $2,000.

For other projects, the deposit may be significantly larger. The deposit amount will

depend on the scope of the project

.

Inspection FeeThe inspection fee will vary, based on the size of the project. For 2012, the fee ranges

from $166.45 to $3,221.71.

V. Utilities locations and Construction

Modern City has to complex network of water, telephone, electrical, voice communication carrier

pipes below ground. Due to the utility installations need to be safe, the staff review proposed

construction to ensure they meet all the requirements, policies, procedures and protocols.

BENEFITS OF HERITAGE BUILDING IN VANCOUVER

P a g e | 10

The benefits of heritage building in Vancouver may come from different part of the

structures inside the building. One of the benefits of the heritage building is the installation of

chimney. Chimney is a structure which provides ventilation for hot flue gases or smoke from

kitchen or fire place to the outside atmosphere. The chimneys are typically vertical to ensure the

air flow smoothly which can improve the stack effect inside a building. Stack effect is when the

cold air enters into the enclosed room and its density is higher than the hot air so the less dense

hot air will flow upward through the chimney outside to the atmosphere. A chimney damper or

balloon may be inserted into flue to reduce heat loss and improve air-tightness. Normally the

heritage building or house in Vancouver will have a fireplace with the connection of chimney.

The benefits of fireplace are to keep the enclosed room being warm. During the winter season,

the winter storms hit strongly and it often knocked out the electricity. So this is the time where

the fireplace helps to keep the room warm and produce plenty of light because it only required

fire and charcoals or woods to start up. Fireplace is also known as Eco-friendly heating. When

using the fireplace, electricity and fossil-fueled energy supply will be cut down to the minimum.

This is because woods will be the main sources to produce heating system which is more

energy efficienct. The most important is it will produce zero carbon footprints is when burning

woods which is easier to achieve the plan of “Vancouver’s 2020 Greenest City Action Plan”.

Next, are the heritage buildings in Vancouver retaining their building’s embodied

energy? The energy used in the lifecycle of a building called the embodied energy which is the

energy consumed by all the process associated with the production of a building from the

mining and processing of natural resources to manufacturing, transport and delivery. Embodied

energy includes all the non-renewable energy consumed:

Initial energy- to acquire, process, manufacture, and transport building materials, and

construct building

Recurring energy- to maintain and repair the building

Operating energy- to heat, cool, ventilate, and light up the building

Energy to demolish and dispose of the building.

P a g e | 11

The total embodied energy of the building increases as the building getting older or

longer. If the building is demolished then the embodied energy will be wasted.

Another benefit of energy efficiency in heritage building of Vancouver is they used the

low energy-intensive building materials such as bricks and woods. Using the low energy-

intensive materials will produce minimum greenhouse gas emission but use of vinyl which is

now commonly used in new or modern construction has a high energy-intensive which might

result in higher level of greenhouse gas emission.

The graph above shown that Vinyl required the higher energy to process materials which

mean it will produce higher level of greenhouse emission during the process as compare to

woods and bricks.

Benefits of Energy Efficient in Heritage Building

P a g e | 12

There are a few benefits of energy efficient in heritage building that can be found in

every related heritage buildings. First, it is thermal mass. Thermal mass is the ability of high

density materials such as bricks and stones to absorb heat, retain it and then release it again

slowly overtime, helping to moderate the temperature within an enclosed room or spaces. This

statement means that thermal mass is more effective during daylight hours which can take full

advantages of the free stored heat. Normally the heritage buildings are built from masonry and

stone building which have a high thermal mass, allowing the building to absorb, retain and later

release the heat absorbed from the sun. The thermal mass building slows down the transfer of

heat from outdoor into the indoor surfaces of the building to allow comfortable internal

temperature during the summer or sunny day. The other benefit of high thermal mass building is

it can store the daytime heat from both the sun and any heating system and re-radiated it at

night. This process is very useful especially during the winter, it ensures that the existing fabric

is performing as originally intended, and correctly utilizing, the thermal mass of masonry and

stone construction, will increase comfort at the night time and reduce the energy cost instead of

using the mechanical ventilation system.

Two different wall construction with similar U-value but have different thermal masses.

*(The lower the U-value the better insulation provided by the materials mean heat loss is slower.)*

Moreover, it can help to control the moisture inside a building. Heritage building of

masonry construction with timber floors were designed to allow natural ventilation to reduce

dampness. The installation of insulation in the ceilings may also prevent the necessary

evaporation of moisture in certain building, it is to ensure that the existing building fabric

continues to breathe with controlling moisture as well as avoiding possible long term damage

and it also has the potential to reduce energy consumption.

After that, many heritage buildings have been designed whereby the combination of

building materials, orientation, sunlight and shade, and ventilation assist to maintain thermal

P a g e | 13

comfort without need for mechanical heating or cooling. So, heritage building do provide passive

heating and cooling which may improve the thermal performance which can be documented

including repairing damaged windows, doors and seal to avoid excessive air infiltration,

unblocking of the boarded-over windows openings and remove the glazing over the opened

windows, unblocking ceiling vents and flues and opening doors to reinstate air movement for

cooling.

Lastly, heritage building may reduce the green effect without producing much or less

unwanted substances such as Co2, H20, Ch4, and N20. This is because heritage building does

rely on mechanical ventilation to maintain the air purity inside an enclosed spaces.

Disadvantages of Energy efficiency in Heritage BuildingThermal Bridging

Thermal bridging are weaknesses within a building’s structure where heat or cold is

transferred at higher rate through surrounding envelope areas. These occur when thermal

bridges are cooler than the surrounding building materials and therefore attract condensation

and it will lead to growth of mold. This becomes disadvantage during winter season for the

heritage buildings with balconies because large amount of cold air will be transferred into the

enclosed spaces. However, the balcony can also be an beneficial structure that help to transfer

heat out from an enclosed room to reduce heat.

P a g e | 14

CASE STUDY: CITY OF VANCOUVER

In the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada, there are a lot of heritage buildings

existed since early 20th century. Some even older buildings existed since late 19th century, which

were built around 1889 – 1899. In this city, there are about 2150 of registered buildings. Such

large amount of heritage buildings, including the unregistered one, may create huge energy

consumption. To prevent this problem from aggravating, this city had introducing a plan which is

named “Vancouver’s 2020 Greenest City Action Plan”. This plan aims to transform Vancouver

into the greenest city in year 2020. The main goal of this plan is to reduce the greenhouse gas

(GHG) emission. The reduction is to be achieved through renewable energy, buildings,

transportation and waste reduction.

The role of this plan are targeted toward houses with historic or heritage value. This plan

will focus on how to renovate the old buildings while preserving their historical character. In

order to preserve those unique elements of heritage buildings, they have introduced green

retrofit measures which provide reduction of energy consumption, while reducing electricity

generation or combustion of natural gas for day-to-day activities, such as heating, which

generates GHG

emissions.

Those heritage buildings are playing an important role in community’s daily life as

amenities, housing and places to visit for the tourism, entertainment and community event.

Those buildings are agreed to maintain the historic character of the cityscape. Meanwhile, the

old buildings are commonly used as housing and for other purpose such as church, restaurant,

community centre and etc.

P a g e | 15

Heritage Building Performance Upgrades

Things to take precaution before renovating heritage buildings:

I. Insulation

To prevent the damages to historical buildings. Insulation should begin with the pipework,

valves, boilers and hot-water cylinders, followed by roofs. Roof insulation is cost effective and

results in reduction of CO2 emissions.

II. Chimneys

A chimneys damper may be inserted into the flue to reduce heat loss during winter while

improving the air-tightness.

III. Windows

Windows have decisive function and historical value to a house. To preserve windows, the basic

action is to apply fresh paint to the window and make sure that all the windows are well seated

and sealed in the buildings, which provides the best performance of the window. Rehabilitation

for the windows should be including the installation of interior storm windows and surface films

to control infra-red radiation and heat absorption.

IV. Heating Systems

Through upgrading the heating systems, we can achieve energy efficiency by reducing heat

loss and or reducing energy to create heat. Heating systems upgrade in old buildings is

significant as this method has low aesthetic impact and save energy usage wisely.

V. Renewable technologies

By introducing renewable technologies into heritage buildings, it can help to reduce energy used

and preserve social value of the buildings at the same time. Selecting an appropriate technology

will help maintaing their historical character and improve performance to par or better than new

buildings.

P a g e | 16

Example of Greening Heritage Buildings in Vancouver City

The examples are carried out in an Arts and Crafts home which was estimated built in

1910. The aim of this project is to work to integrate heritage building with green building

upgrade. Improvement and systems of energy efficient carried out to achieve an Energuide

rating of 80 point.

EnerGuide Rating Chart

Type of House Rating

Older house not upgraded 0 to 50

Upgraded old house 51 to 65

Energy-efficient upgraded old house or typical new house 66 to 74

Energy-efficient new house 75 to 79

Highly energy-efficient new house 80 to 90

An "advanced house" that uses little or no purchased energy 91 to 100

P a g e | 17

Energy UpgradesI. Domestic Hot Water (DHW)

They had installed solar panels in order to fulfill needs for DHW.

II. Electrical SystemsThe workers had installed two parallel electrical systems which allow solar panel heating system

or generator added on. Meanwhile, modern alarm system had been added. To give

entertainment purposes, they also introduced speaker system. Modern electronic equipment

including CAT5, CAT6 and fibre optics are also wired. At night, those electric current are

allowed to be turned off, this method helps to reduce energy consumption and occupant’s

exposure to electromagnetic fields.

III. HeatingIntroducing radiant heat, which is pre-wired for solar electric 12 Volt or 24 Volt. It functions by

heating objects only. It avoids heating air, thereby reducing heat loss due to drafts or open

doors. Meanwhile, they had introduced Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP), which is a high

efficiency geothermal heating system. Installation of Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV), which

allow fresh air cycle tied to bathroom exhaust and other vents. They had also backed up heating

unit in the attic (powered by attic geothermal).

IV. InsulationR5/ inch spray soy-based polyurethane installed. This method is highly efficient while also

provide structural rigidity.

V. Seismic UpgradesReinforced rebar and cement reinforcements, which add beneath chimney and main walls.

Engineered beams and hangers were also added. Hurricane ties added between floors while

iron ties added to chimneys. Interior sheer walls had been added to both East to West and

North to South.

P a g e | 18

P a g e | 19

Primary Energy

Consumption(GJ)

Solid Waste

(kg)

Air Pollution

Index

Water Pollution

Index

Global Warming Potential

kg

Weighted Resource

(kg)

Manufacturing:Material: 228.090 3156 2522 18 3350.39 136517Transportation: 7.689 0 2 0 112.94 185Total: 235.779 3156 2524 18 3463.33 136702Construction:Material: 3.112 1810 46 0 45.71 81Transportation: 9.937 0 3 0 145.96 225Total: 13.049 1810 49 0 191.68 306Operation & Maintenance:Material: 157.645 2679 2169 1 2315.63 20511Transportation: 3.979 0 1 0 58.45 92Total: 161.624 2679 2170 1 2374.08 20603End-Of-Life:Material: 0.027 0 1 0 0.40 1Transportation: 2.236 0 1 0 32.84 51Total: 2.263 0 2 0 33.24 52Total Embodied:Material: 388.874 7645 4738 19 5712.13 157110Transportation: 23.841 0 7 0 350.20 553Total: 412.715 7645 4745 19 6062.32 157663Operating Energy:Annual Operating Energy: 199.4

Total Operating Energy:(75 years)

14955

Total LifetimeEnergy:(75 years)

15367.72

P a g e | 20

P a g e | 21

Primary Energy

Consumption(GJ)

Solid Waste

(kg)

Air Pollution

Index

Water Pollution

Index

Global Warming Potential

kg

Weighted Resource

(kg)

Manufacturing:Material: 406.984 5151 4552 18 5978.14 157283

Transportation: 9.751 0 3 0 143.23 265Total: 416.735 5151 4555 18 6121.37 157548

Construction:Material: 3.319 1865 48 0 48.75 85

Transportation: 12.630 0 4 0 185.52 287Total: 15.949 1865 52 0 234.27 372

Operation & Maintenance:Material: 157.645 2679 2169 1 2315.63 20511

Transportation: 3.979 0 1 0 58.45 92Total: 161.624 2679 2170 1 2374.08 20603

End-Of-Life:Material: 0.027 0 1 0 0.40 1

Transportation: 3.085 0 1 0 45.32 70Total: 3.112 0 2 0 45.71 71

Total Embodied:Material: 567.975 9695 6770 19 8342.92 177880

Transportation: 29.445 0 9 0 432.51 714Total: 597.420 9695 6779 19 8775.44 178594

Operating Energy:Annual Operating

Energy: 79.4

Total Operating Energy:

(75 years)5955

Total LifetimeEnergy:

(75 years)6552.4

According to the graphs and tables above, we can conclude that the original house will

consume less embodied energy which is only 3% of total lifetime energy in following 75 years, it

will use more operating energy comparing to upgraded house, which results in 14,955 GJ.

Meanwhile for upgraded house, it will use less operating energy than original house, which is

only 5,955 GJ, with more embodied energy consumption due to its high performance building

materials.

P a g e | 22

HIDDEN PROBLEMS AND PRECAUTIONS BEFORE UPGRADING HOUSES

I. CONSTRUCTION

Before construction commence should identify the materials used of the structure. Wall

materials include brick of varying hardness and permeability, rammed earth, dressed stone.

Blocks of varying types, rubble stone, flint and many more. Mortars can also be earth and/or

lime based, also with wide variations in permeability and durability. The absence of voids,

irregular bonding patterns and concealed timbers also improve to the complexity of solid wall

construction and performance. And also, heritage building are also known as old building which

the structures or support members are decayed to a certain level which will cause damages

while renovating and upgrading building. Hence, more alterations should be given to the

building.

II. BREATHING PERFORMANCE

Traditional solid walled buildings ‘breathing’ structures meaning the wall exchange moisture with

the indoor and outdoor environment. Where insulation is introduced, it is important that this

breathing performance must be taken fully into consideration. Materials used in repair and

maintenance must be selected with care to preserve this breathing performance. Modern

impermeable materials – not only consist of vapor control functions but also cement renders,

plasters and pointing and many modern paints and coating will significantly impair the

breathable performance and will therefore trap moisture as well. More often than not this will

increase problems of damp and associated decay of the building fabric, and possibly also create

health risks for the occupants

III. FINANCIAL COST AND PAYBACK

The addition of external or internal insulation to the wall of buildings will be expensive for to the

insulation purposes and financial payback times are potentially long as well. It's important do not

underestimate the costs as well as necessary of cares. This suggests that in the majority of

cases it would not be considered for insulation of external walls unless the full range of easier

and more immediately rewarding upgrades to traditionally-constructed buildings have been

carried out. Lastly, most of these renovating or upgrades will also affect some effects on the

character and cultural significance of historic buildings.

P a g e | 23

IV. REPAINT OR PAINT-REMOVING

Paint removal is a complicated and paint-staking process. Most of the heritage buildings have

been rotted as well as the building structures were weak which can't afford too much heavy

renovating which means the work to remove or repaint the building should be carry out carefully

which unnecessary big movement of works will lead to damage the building due to the strength

was weaken by age itself.

People who on the historic properties must consider about the paint removal should also be

aware the amount of time and labor involved. During the removing of damaged layers of paint

from a building. Removing paint from larger of a building without professional assistance can

cause the painting unmanageable and produce unsatisfactory finishes. The researches of work

should be done before commencement of works to prevent problems or decay of finishes at the

later stage. Hiring qualified professionals will always be a cost-effective decision due to the

expense of materials, the special equipment required, professional knowledge required and the

amount of time involved to enable the work done is maintain at the satisfied or required

standard.

As conclusion, paint removal or repainting is complicated, expensive in cost, and potentially

dangerous of rehabilitating or restoring heritage or historical buildings to its outlook or design

before. So, repainting an old building should not be undertaken without careful and unprepared

procedures before proceed to this stage.

P a g e | 24

RECOMMENDATION FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT

Historical buildings are important to be preserved because these buildings are treasure

left by our ancestors. However, these buildings have low energy efficiency which is not suitable

nowadays. Therefore, there are a few solutions to improve the energy efficiency in historical

buildings.

Before we start to renovate the historical building, we must first identify the parts of the

building we need to upgrade. Asking an energy auditor to provide an energy improvement plan

that establishes priorities and alternatives, including life cycle analysis is the best way. With this

method, we can seek solutions that save the most energy using the least destructive, invasive,

and costly means. Once identification is completed, we can start to improve the energy

efficiency in the building.

First, we can install components that provide natural ventilation and light such as

windows, interior courtyards, skylights and roof ventilators. With these components installed in

the building, the use of mechanical ventilation can be reduced. Also, the cost of electricity can

also be minimized because we do not have to switch on too much interior light. Besides, we can

also maintain the thermal comfort within the building. For example, during hot weather, heat can

be dispersed from the building through these openings.

Also, thick masonry wall should be used for historical building. Thick masonry wall have

substantial mass and high thermal inertia. These characteristics enable heat to be reduced in

the building during hot weather and traps heat during cold weather. Therefore, it is suitable to all

climate weather. In summer, heat can be reduced in the building through thick masonry wall

because the heat absorbed at the outer surface of the wall takes a period of time to transfer to

the interior part of wall. In winter, the building can be maintained in thermal comfort because

heat is trapped within the building by dampening the overall peaks of heat gain and loss.

Other than that, we can install wide overhang roof on the historical buildings. This kind of

roof is suitable in warm climates. This is because wide overhang roof creates porches that can

minimize the heat absorbed from the sun. To greater reduce the heat absorbed, we can apply

light coloured roofs such as white colour to reflect the sunlight. In cold climates, sloping roof is a

better option to be installed to increase energy efficiency. Sloping roof has no overhang prevails

which allows the shedding of snow. Also, it may increase the beneficial solar heat gain through

windows. Therefore, thermal comfort is able to be maintained within the building.

P a g e | 25

Floor plan is also one of the factors that affect energy efficiency in historical buildings. In

cold climates, the design of the building should be low ceiling. This design allows the heat to be

shared more frequently inside the building. Small windows with interior shutters should be

installed to reduce drafts and heat loss from the building. In contrast, wide central halls with high

ceilings, breezeways and large porches should be designed in hot climate country. These

features are able to maximize the air circulation. Heat flow will be able to disperse out of the

building and cold air will flow in the building in a higher rate.

Energy efficient in historical building can also be increased by repairing and weather-

stripping windows and doors. The ideal option is to use draft-proof interlocking zinc, bronze or

stainless steel weather-stripping. In addition, we should add or tighten exterior or interior storm

windows and doors with gasket. However, we need to be certain to allow for weep holes along

the bottom rail to drain or vent condensed water vapor. Also, we should determine and seal

locations of air infiltration. Open or poorly fitted chimney flue dampers are a major source of

heat loss, as are areas around exterior ducts, pipes, and other penetrations, attic hatches,

unlocked double hung sashes that fall open, and the joint between the foundation and the house

frame.

Last but not least, reducing energy demands for heating and cooling may be

accomplished in two steps. First, we can upgrade to mechanical systems and major appliances.

We must make sure that we do not make alterations or adding new materials to ensure that a

building functions as efficiently as possible. Next, after all these measures have been

implemented, corrective work or treatments, such as weatherization, that require other

alterations to the building may be considered.

P a g e | 26

LEARNING

Ngah Yea Zhe:

From this report, I have gained knowledge from how important a heritage building is.

Due to the increasing population in the world, lands are often used to construct residential

buildings. However, those buildings with historical value should be kept as they signify a

character of our country. By introducing energy improvement and system, those buildings can

be preserved, and be rehabilitated to reach the requirements of the energy consumptions in

modern house nowadays. I have found information from many websites that provide

uncountable info that enhance my data base on how a building is renovated.

Hong Kai Yin:

Through this report, I have learned a lot of ways to improve the energy efficiency in a

building. I realized that every part of the building plays an important role to increase the energy

efficiency of a building. Also, mechanical ventilation such as air-conditioner and heater is not

always required to maintain thermal comfort. A well-built natural ventilation is able to reduce the

use or even replace mechanical ventilation. This act will help to save a lot of cost. Other than

that, I have learned the importance of teamwork in doing an assignment.

Elliot Pang Tiu Seng:

From this Installation process of energy efficient in heritage building, I admire and learnt

to the City of Vancouver how they manage their city. The process of the install process lead the

world in green building design and construction. The City is working to reduce the amount of

energy consumed by the city's new homes 33% by 2020, with the goal of making all new

buildings "carbon neutral" by 2030.At the same time, greenhouse gas emissions from existing

buildings will be reduced by 20% over 2007 levels.

P a g e | 27

Welson Lum Wei Jiunn:

Lastly, I had learnt that heritage building should not be look down in the construction

because they also have a lot of advantages or benefits which are not available in modern

buildings. Heritage buildings are more common to build in country that has four seasons

especially during winter and summer. It is a very good kind of buildings because it helps to save

cost such as construction cost which not use much of steel structures. It also save utilities cost

which does not rely much on mechanical ventilation system because of its natural ventilation. It

also help to reduce air pollution like produce lesser unwanted gaseous which can make its city

more sustainable and ecosystem.

Malaysia should have developed more heritage buildings maybe at higher ground area

like Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands because the area there is cold and it is easier

for the natural ventilation to take place and the thermal mass materials may help to moderate

the temperature inside the enclosed areas.

Vancouver, Canada is on the right track to achieve their mission of “Greenest City 2020”

which is an good example for our country

Jackson Ting Shii Hang:

I had learnt precautions and the proper ways to renovate or repair the old buildings

which is not easy as I thought because the old building had its age and weakness. So, if

careless works done to the building will probably will damage to the building such as properties ,

design and many more. That's why most of the time professionals is recommended to handle or

lead the workers to do their works to prevent any carelessness done by worker which will cause

unwanted problems at the end of the day. Also , not all types of building can use the same

method to repair which means different properties of building have individual way to repair

because mostly it affected by the materials of building itself.

P a g e | 28

REFERENCES

https://sustain.ubc.ca/sites/sustain.ubc.ca/files/Sustainability%20Scholars/GCS%20reports

%202014/GCS%20Heritage%20Report.pdf

https://www.stratford.gov.uk/files/seealsodocs/10747/Making%20Old%20Buildings%20Energy

%20Efficient%20-%20Norfolk%20County%20Council.pdf

http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/building-and-renovating.aspx

http://www.renovate.org.nz/1940-60s/common-problems-and-remedies/

http://www.myhsf.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Most-Common-Repairs-for-Historic-

Buildings.pdf

http://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/3-improve-energy-efficiency.htm

http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/hrb/pdf/green_guide_2010.pdf

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/5979310/Energy-Guide-Latest-25022014comp.pdf

P a g e | 29

APPENDICES

Front view from Vancouver Street (east)

Rear view from west, solar panel on rooftop

P a g e | 30

Fully restored 1910 staircase from 2nd floor

Restored Arts and Crafts fireplace in main entrance