This 180-minute workshop entitled  “Modularity and Industrialisation of Building envelope kits: Challenges, propositions and Barriers towards deep-renovation” elaborated a conceptual framework to assess the preconditions and KPIs that need to be met to benefit from a modular product strategy in the deep-renovation market to which industrialization and modularity are relative new concepts. Five H2020 projects (DRIVE 0, STEP UP, ProGETonE, INFINITE, PLURAL, and ENSNARE) explored these new strategies for deep renovation as a contribution to the EU Renovation Wave.

Context:

In order to reap the benefits of applying industrialization of renovation kits and modular innovations in the deep-renovation market, certain preconditions are required. Towards further energy efficiency and decarbonisation of the EU building stock, Modularity and Industrialisation of building envelope kits (Industry 4.0) for the renovation market are key strategies to improve both production and resource efficiency in constructing and retrofitting housing (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2015). Modularity in itself is a concept that is observed as a major beneficiary in numerous industries, but relative new to the deep-renovation market. This workshop mapped and identified the specific challenges of these projects, discussed the proposed solutions and propositions and identified the barriers that these projects engage in further exploitation and market uptake.

Approach:

• During the first part of the workshop a ‘MIRO board’ was be used to discuss the various challenges and propositions (> two key challenges per project) was introduced to identify projects common barriers. These propositions embody the preliminary findings of ongoing research projects and reflect the preconditions which need to be met applying there solutions in the deep-renovation market.
• During the second part it was discussed how the identified ‘adoption and market barriers’ need to be overcome to meet the identified preconditions to successfully introduce industrialized modular product systems in deep-renovation projects.

Achieved results:

This workshop presented a conceptual framework to assess the preconditions and KPI’s that need to be met to benefit from a modular product strategy and industrialization. Subsequently, as a key finding of the first stage of this workshop these preconditions were found. As an outcome, the workshop aimed to further explore the application of industrialization and modularity, in particular the preconditions which need to be met to apply modular products systems, as a strategy to boost deep-renovation in both quantity and quality.

Collaborative outcomes: A framework analysis to be used to prepare a white paper on:

• Overview of the Multipurpose and Multi-benefits of Modularity and Industrialization of building envelope renovation kits.
• Boundary conditions and key factors important for market uptake
• Adoption barriers and proposed strategies to overcome these identified barriers to be presented to CINEA.

Draft agenda: