GreeNest Research Published on Bio-Based Prefabricated Façades for Deep Renovation
The GreeNest project is pleased to announce the publication of a new scientific paper in the conference proceedings of the E3S Web of Conferences, further contributing to research on sustainable and energy-efficient building renovation.
The paper, The Environmental and Energetic Impact of Prefabricated Envelope Components with Bio-based Materials for Deep Renovation, was authored by researchers from the National Technical University of Athens and the Technical University of Crete, led by Emmanouil Katsigiannis.
The paper was presented in the Building Energy Efficiency & Retrofitting session of the Energy and Sustainability Conference (ESC2025), held on 2–3 July 2025 at the Centre of Mediterranean Architecture in Chania, Crete. The conference brought together researchers, practitioners and industry experts to discuss energy efficiency in buildings, sustainable design and the transition towards a climate-neutral built environment.
The study investigates the environmental and energy performance of an off-site prefabricated façade panel developed for the deep renovation of a residential building in Berlin. The solution combines a timber-based frame, bio-based insulation, advanced windows, and an integrated HVAC system to support the transition towards Near Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB).
Using an adjusted Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the researchers evaluated both the embodied energy of the retrofit components and the operational energy savings achieved after installation. The results demonstrate that while the initial embodied energy of the renovation is significant, it is rapidly compensated by substantial reductions in operational energy consumption, confirming the potential of bio-based prefabricated solutions for sustainable building renovation.
The publication highlights the importance of considering both lifecycle impacts and energy performance when developing innovative construction solutions and supports GreeNest's mission to accelerate the transition towards climate-neutral buildings.