Ante-fit: An Examination of Component-Driven Interventions for Holistic Architectural Retrofit

Against the backdrop of a deteriorating housing stock, the converging climate and cost-of-living crises necessitate an urgent re-evaluation of energy performance within our existing building stock. Our existing homes are often cold, damp, and unhealthy, demanding excessive energy to heat that neither the occupant nor the planet can afford. This research critically evaluates contemporary approaches to architectural retrofit within New Zealand's existing detached housing stock, examining the relationship between energy efficiency, carbon life cycle assessment, and economic incentives.

Incorporating findings from a review of the existing energy and emissions performance for turn-of-the-century housing, this research examines the transformative potential of component-driven retrofit. Simulation-based studies of building elements - Floor, Walls, Windows, Roof, and Ventilation - assess the impact of component-based intervention on sustainable building practice, economic prosperity, and occupant well-being. The outcomes of this study have been juxtaposed against varying extents of retrofit interventions to achieve holistic architectural outcomes that skillfully balance building performance and design.

The research outcomes from this process underscore the subpar performance of our current homes, emphasising the urgent need for transformative action. However, meaningful change requires interventions to achieve the ambitious targets set forth by this research. The traditional approaches explored fall short of achieving these performance thresholds, demanding greater capacity for investment into full-scale and responsive architectural remediation.

By amalgamating energy performance, carbon footprint, and economic viability metrics, this research provides a framework for understanding the limitations inherent within traditional approaches to retrofit design. Previously accepted solutions are insufficient to address building performance for the future and fail to lift our existing buildings out of the past. The necessity to push our ageing homes beyond existing standards critically reflects the contemporary ‘band-aid’ approach of retrofit design. This research evaluates how we approach the design of our homes and how traditionally accepted approaches must be expanded and rethought to achieve long-term sustainability.