On the 12th of September in the Grand Auditorium of the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering, another thematic session of the PTPC under the theme Rehabilitation of Buildings – Structural Performance and Energy Efficiency took place.
This session, which gathered around 120 participants, was opened by the President of the InCI – Fernando Silva and by the President of the PTPC and Coordinator of the Rehabilitation WG – Rita Moura.
The speakers were Jorge de Brito, from IST, who developed the topic “Life cycle assessment of buildings”; Mário Lopes, from IST, with the topic “Strategic reflection on the reduction of the seismic vulnerability of buildings” and lastly Vasco Peixoto Freitas from FEUP, who presented a “Reflection on energy efficiency and incentives in rehabilitation”.
In addition to the interventions, and the debate that followed them, we could register as relevant information the mention of the measures foreseen following the signature by the Government of the “Commitment Document for the Sustainable Competitiveness of the Construction and Real Estate Sector”, in March 2013, which is under execution and that one of the main domains is Rehabilitation.
In order to streamline the procedures related to rehabilitation interventions it is also under development a set of legal diplomas, which constitute an exceptional regime.
As a conclusion we can list the following aspects highlighted in the session:
Generic order:
- Considering that there are already enough infrastructures in the country, there is a need to ensure maintenance, enhancing rehabilitation interventions;
- It is important to promote a sustained and sustainable intervention – evaluation of several factors as conditioning factors of rehabilitation interventions – technical conditions, economic conditions, social and political conditions, environmental impacts, type of construction, intended scope of the intervention, remaining useful life after intervention;
- Urges the intervention, on the technical side as a basis for legal framework, given the existence of a housing stock very vulnerable to seismic resistance;
- Market incentives are needed, defining programs for the Rehabilitation of the built heritage, as a strategic vision.
Specific order:
- Evaluation of the concept of Building Value as the decisive basis for intervention;
- Analysis throughout the whole life cycle of the building – Environmental Profile and Eco-Design;
- Inclusion of the seismic reinforcement component in the rehabilitation of buildings, in the design and construction phases – elaboration of recommendations, technical standards and legislation;
- Creation of effective inspection mechanisms in rehabilitation interventions;
- To promote the development of research in building strengthening techniques;
- Adaptation of the existing regulations regarding the rehabilitation of buildings in order to respond to all aspects, including structural performance and energy efficiency;
- Organization of the technical information in order to guarantee the transmission of knowledge – Creation of an On-line Knowledge Centre;
- Advanced training in the area of structural rehabilitation and reinforcement – universities, specialised training and professional training.
You can access the session programme here.