Effective Retrofitting: Energy Efficiency measures for vintage buildings in Boston

The biggest challenge in retrofitting vintage old buildings is to preserve the historical features of the buildings. This study investigates the adaptive reuse of urban buildings, focusing on historic brick structures in Boston’s Bay Village.

The research evaluated Boston’s renovation strategies and incentives, such as Mass Save, to improve the performance of buildings in Boston’s historical Bay Village. This study used urban simulations to model the area and to suggest changes in the state sponsored incentives to better accommodate historical preservation with environmental responsibility, offering a model for other urban areas with similar high thermal mass buildings.

The result from this study suggests that significant improvements can be made in the energy consumption of historical buildings, lowering the EUI’s and providing an appealing return on investment. Yet, they fall short of achieving the ambitious goals set by the Boston’s Zero Carbon Building Initiative.