_{Rainhof – Photo credits Marion Lafogler}

Via EUREC member EURAC research

Recently published online, the beta version of HiBERATLAS (Historic Building Energy Retrofit ATLAS), is a platform that brings together examples of good practice in the sustainable renovation of historic and traditional buildings in Alpine areas as well as the rest of the world. The platform was developed under the coordination of renewable energy experts from Eurac Research together with various international partners.

Building envelope interventions, new heating and cooling systems and integrating renewable energies, such as photovoltaics or biomass are some of the interventions that allow buildings to consume less energy. In the case of historic buildings, especially those protected by conservation constraints, these solutions must integrate the historical and aesthetic characteristics of the building. This rather complicated undertaking has driven Eurac Research and their partners to compile a public and freely accessible database which defines and demonstrates examples of outstanding cases of sustainable renovation.

Operating in either a private or public capacity, architects, planners and owners can now access valuable information and ideas on how to renovate historic or traditional buildings. Together with data on what results can be expected in terms of energy consumption.
With building examples including traditional farmsteads in South Tyrol, a historic villa on Lake Como, English cottages, an early 20th century Spanish market, a typical half-timbered house in Alsace, the atlas presents historical information on each type of  structure, a detailed description of the renovation work and pre and post renovation energy data.

The beta version contains 15 examples and represents the initiation of a database that aims to collect the best examples at a global level. If you think that your building or a building you have worked on could be included in the atlas, please contact our researchers by writing to atlas@eurac.edu.
The atlas has been produced under the guidance of the “ATLAS” project and is funded by the European research funding programme Alpine Space, with the contribution of partners from Task59, a worldwide consortium working in renovations and energy saving in historic buildings.

Go to the atlas of historical buildings to know more: http://hiberatlas.com/

EURAC Research have also produced two short videos:

• Animated video promoting the HiBERATLAS among owners of historic buildings
• Photo + texts video explaining the initiative