{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,23]],"date-time":"2026-04-23T03:50:34Z","timestamp":1776916234751,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,18]],"date-time":"2022-02-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1645142400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Infrastructures"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Current buildings are responsible for the highest energy consumption, exceeding polluting sectors such as industry and transports. In Portugal, a large part of the building stock was built in the 1970s and 1980s, but buildings dated from the 1960s and 1970s are the ones with the most anomalies and worst quality of construction and, therefore, worst energy performance. The renovation of those buildings can represent an excellent opportunity to correct and improve their energy deficiency and, with that, to promote a more sustainable building stock. The ETICS system is the most used for the renovation of buildings in Portugal due to its lower cost, quick application and thermal efficiency, but it doesn\u2019t solve other problems that may exist, such as structural safety and interior organization of the existing building. The application of prefabricated systems in the envelope has proved to be successful in improving energy efficiency, allowing new volumes and extra areas while contributing to the structural resilience of existing buildings. This paper aims to describe the current situation of the buildings renovation in Portugal and to discuss the potential of innovative envelope retrofitting solutions, using natural materials like timber, and is more concerned with the problems of existing buildings and the need for comfort and space for the occupants.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/infrastructures7020025","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,21]],"date-time":"2022-02-21T08:18:05Z","timestamp":1645431485000},"page":"25","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Current Practice and Potential Associated with Timber-Based Solutions for Buildings Retrofitting"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"7","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3311-1001","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cl\u00e1udio","family":"Meireis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Lab2PT, School of Architecture, Art and Design, University of Minho, 4800-58 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Filipa S.","family":"Serino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Lab2PT, School of Architecture, Art and Design, University of Minho, 4800-58 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6475-9150","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carlos","family":"Maia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Lab2PT, School of Architecture, Art and Design, University of Minho, 4800-58 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Andr\u00e9 C.","family":"Fontes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Lab2PT, School of Architecture, Art and Design, University of Minho, 4800-58 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3976-0360","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jorge M.","family":"Branco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISISE, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Instituto Nacional de Estat\u00edstica (2021, March 31). Estat\u00edsticas da Constru\u00e7\u00e3o e Habita\u00e7\u00e3o: 2019. (In Portuguese)."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"394","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enbuild.2007.03.007","article-title":"A review on buildings energy consumption information","volume":"40","author":"Ortiz","year":"2008","journal-title":"Energy Build."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enbuild.2017.05.011","article-title":"Deep renovation of multi-storey multi-owner existing residential buildings: A pilot case study in Italy","volume":"148","author":"Salvalai","year":"2017","journal-title":"Energy Build."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enbuild.2016.06.022","article-title":"Refurbishment trends of the residential building stock: Analysis of a regional pilot case in Italy","volume":"132","author":"Corrado","year":"2016","journal-title":"Energy Build."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110024","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enbuild.2020.110024","article-title":"Energy performance of existing residential buildings in Europe: A novel approach combining energy with seismic retrofitting","volume":"223","author":"Pohoryles","year":"2020","journal-title":"Energy Build."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Silva, P.M. (2013). Avalia\u00e7\u00e3o e Carateriza\u00e7\u00e3o de Medidas de Melhoria Energ\u00e9tica na Reabilita\u00e7\u00e3o de Edif\u00edcios Numa Perspetiva Custo-Benef\u00edcio. Sele\u00e7\u00e3o e Carateriza\u00e7\u00e3o de Medidas de Melhoria da Envolvente de Edif\u00edcios. [Master\u2019s Thesis, University of Minho]. (In Portuguese)."},{"key":"ref_7","unstructured":"Corr\u00eaa, D.M. (2016). Thermal Rehabilitation of the Facades of Old Buildings. [Master\u2019s Thesis, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico da Universidade de Lisboa]."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1257","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2013.06.024","article-title":"Inspection and diagnosis system of ETICS on walls","volume":"47","author":"Amaro","year":"2013","journal-title":"Constr. Build. Mater."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"European Commission (2021, March 31). RetroKit\u2014Toolboxes for Systemic Retrofitting. Available online: https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/314229\/reporting."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"216","DOI":"10.1080\/00038628.2019.1574707","article-title":"Adaptability in envelope energy retrofits through addition of intelligence features","volume":"62","author":"Capeluto","year":"2019","journal-title":"Archit. Sci. Rev."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1016\/j.proenv.2017.03.093","article-title":"E2VENT: An Energy Efficient Ventilated Fa\u00e7ade Retrofitting System. Presentation of the Embedded LHTES System","volume":"38","author":"Raji","year":"2017","journal-title":"Procedia Environ. Sci."},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Lops, C. (2020). Integrated Solutions for the Energy and Seismic Retrofit of Existing Buildings. [Ph.D. Thesis, Polytechnic University of Catalonia]."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Manfredi, V., and Masi, A. (2018). Seismic Strengthening and Energy Efficiency: Towards an Integrated Approach for the Rehabilitation of Existing RC Buildings. Buildings, 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/buildings8030036"},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"Cruz, P. (2013). Energy efficiency upgrading, architectural restyling and structural retrofit of modern buildings by means of engineered double skin fa\u00e7ade. Structures and Architecture: Concepts, Applications and Challenges, Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Structures & Architecture\u2014ICSA2013), Taylor & Francis Group."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ferrante, A., Mochi, G., Predari, G., Badini, L., Fotopoulou, A., Gulli, R., and Semprini, G. (2018). A European Project for Safer and Energy Efficient Buildings: Pro-GET-onE (Proactive Synergy of inteGrated Efficient Technologies on Buildings Envelopes). Sustainability, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/su10030812"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Della Torre, S., Cattaneo, S., Lenzi, C., and Zanelli, A. (2020). Adaptive Exoskeleton Systems: Remodelage for Social Housing on Piazzale Visconti (BG). Regeneration of the Built Environment from a Circular Economy Perspective, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-33256-3"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Scuderi, G. (2016). Adaptive Exoskeleton for the Integrated Retrofit of Social Housing Buildings. [Ph.D. Thesis, University of Trento].","DOI":"10.28991\/cej-2016-00000029"},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"LACATON & VASSAL (2021, March 31). Transformation de 530 Logements. Available online: www.lacatonvassal.com\/index.php?idp=80."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Renovate Europe (2021, March 31). Grand Parc Apartment Building, Bordeaux\u2014France. Available online: https:\/\/www.renovate-europe.eu\/reday\/reday-2019\/online-resources\/grand-parc-france-e12."},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"Think Wood (2021, March 31). Designing Sustainable, Prefabricated Wood Buildings. Available online: https:\/\/www.thinkwood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Designing-Sustainable-Prefabricated-Wood-Buildings_Think-Wood-CEU.pdf."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17051","DOI":"10.1038\/natrevmats.2017.51","article-title":"Wood: A construction material for tall buildings","volume":"2","author":"Wimmers","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Mater."},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"Rubner Holzbau (2021, December 14). Wood Culture 21: Construction Expertise for Architects, Designers and Building Owners, Rubner Ingenieurholzbau. Available online: https:\/\/www.rubner.com\/fileadmin\/marken\/holzbau\/Infomaterial\/2020-10_Wood_Culture_21.pdf."},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"European Commission (2021, March 31). Building Energy Renovation through Timber Prefabricated Modules. Available online: https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/636984\/reporting."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"Europe Commission (2021, March 31). Development and Advanced Prefabrication of Innovative, Multifunctional Building Envelope Elements for Modular Retrofitting and Connections. Available online: https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/633477\/reporting."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1016\/j.egypro.2015.11.115","article-title":"Prefabricated Timber Frame Fa\u00e7ade with Integrated Active Components for Minimal Invasive Renovations","volume":"78","author":"Ochs","year":"2015","journal-title":"Energy Procedia"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Margani, G., Evola, G., Tardo, C., and Marino, E.M. (2020). Energy, Seismic, and Architectural Renovation of RC Framed Buildings with Prefabricated Timber Panels. Sustainability, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/su12124845"},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"66","article-title":"Construction principles of seismic and energy renovation systems for existing buildings","volume":"4","author":"Ott","year":"2018","journal-title":"Technol. Eng. Mater. Archit."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scs.2014.02.001","article-title":"Energy retrofit to nearly zero and socio-oriented urban environments in the Mediterranean climate","volume":"13","author":"Ferrante","year":"2014","journal-title":"Sustain. Cities Soc."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"889","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enbuild.2012.08.018","article-title":"Existing building retrofits: Methodology and state-of-the-art","volume":"55","author":"Ma","year":"2012","journal-title":"Energy Build."}],"container-title":["Infrastructures"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2412-3811\/7\/2\/25\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T22:22:03Z","timestamp":1760134923000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2412-3811\/7\/2\/25"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,18]]},"references-count":29,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,2]]}},"alternative-id":["infrastructures7020025"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/infrastructures7020025","relation":{},"ISSN":["2412-3811"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2412-3811","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,18]]}}}