Cost-Effective Energy Efficient Building Retrofitting:Materials, Technologies, Optimization and Case Studies provides essential knowledge for civil engineers, architects, and other professionals working in the field of cost-effective energy efficient building retrofitting. The building sector is responsible for high energy consumption and its global demand is expected to grow as each day there are approximately 200,000 new inhabitants on planet Earth. The majority of electric energy will continue to be generated from the combustion of fossil fuels releasing not only carbon dioxide, but also methane and nitrous oxide. Energy efficiency measures are therefore crucial to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the building sector. Energy efficient building retrofitting needs to not only be technically feasible, but also economically viable. New building materials and advanced technologies already exist, but the knowledge to integrate all active components is still scarce and far from being widespread among building industry stakeholders.

This book presents the current state of knowledge on nanomaterials and their use in buildings, ranging from glazing and vacuum insulation to PCM composites. It also discusses recent applications in organic photovoltaics, photo-bioreactors, bioplastics and foams, making it an exciting read while also providing copious references to current research and applications for those wanting to pursue possible future research directions. Derek Clements-Croome, Emeritus Professor in Architectural Engineering, University of Reading (From the Foreword) Demonstrating how higher energy efficiency in new and existing buildings can help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, this book details the way in which new technologies, manufacturing processes and products can serve to abate emissions from the energy sector and offer a cost-effective means of improving competitiveness and drive employment. Maximizing reader insights into how nano and biotech materials - such as aerogel based plasters, thermochromic glazings and thermal energy adsorbing glass, amongst others - can provide high energy efficiency performance in buildings, it provides practitioners in the field with an important high-tech tool to tackle key challenges and is essential reading for civil engineers, architects, materials scientists and researchers in the area of the sustainability of the built environment.

This book presents the current state of knowledge on nanomaterials and their use in buildings, ranging from glazing and vacuum insulation to PCM composites. It also discusses recent applications in organic photovoltaics, photo-bioreactors, bioplastics and foams, making it an exciting read while also providing copious references to current research and applications for those wanting to pursue possible future research directions. Derek Clements-Croome, Emeritus Professor in Architectural Engineering, University of Reading (From the Foreword) Demonstrating how higher energy efficiency in new and existing buildings can help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, this book details the way in which new technologies, manufacturing processes and products can serve to abate emissions from the energy sector and offer a cost-effective means of improving competitiveness and drive employment. Maximizing reader insights into how nano and biotech materials - such as aerogel based plasters, thermochromic glazings and thermal energy adsorbing glass, amongst others - can provide high energy efficiency performance in buildings, it provides practitioners in the field with an important high-tech tool to tackle key challenges and is essential reading for civil engineers, architects, materials scientists and researchers in the area of the sustainability of the built environment.