Deep retrofit strategies for long-term care facilities and multi-unit residential buildings

Deep retrofits are a holistic approach to increasing a building’s capacity to be resilient to and adapt to climate events, such as: heat waves, flooding, air pollution, and earthquakes. Deep retrofits also help to lower a building’s energy use and operational and embodied carbon emissions. Operational carbon emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions associated with daily operation of the building, while embodied carbon emissions are associated with the materials and processes used in construction of the building. One of the most significant co-benefits of deep retrofits is the impact on occupant health, but there is a need for more research on these impacts, specifically in long-term care (LTC) facilities and multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs). This research project will aim to identify strategies for decreasing embodied carbon of LTC facilities while reducing operational carbon and enhancing resilience to climate change related events; highlighting the benefits of these strategies on occupant health.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ayan Sadhu

Student:

Sara Wollschlaeger

Partner:

Pembina Institute

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

University:

Western University

Program: