oSIST prEN 16883:2026

• Abstract:

  This document provides guidelines for sustainably improving the energy performance of historic buildings, e.g. historically, architecturally or culturally valuable buildings, while respecting their significance. The use of this document is not limited to buildings with statutory heritage designation, it applies to historic buildings of all types and ages.; This document presents a normative working procedure for selecting measures to improve energy performance, based on an investigation, analysis and documentation of the building including its significance. The procedure assesses the impact of those measures in relation to preserving the character-defining elements of the building.

• Status: Not Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 14-Dec-2026
• ICS: 27.015 - Energy efficiency. Energy conservation in general
• ICS: 91.120.10 - Thermal insulation of buildings
• ICS: 97.195 - Items of art and handicrafts. Cultural property and heritage
• Technical Committee: I13 - Imaginarni 13
• Current Stage: 4020 - Public enquire (PE) (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 26-Oct-2026
• Due Date: 15-Mar-2027
• Ref Project: prEN 16883 - Conservation of cultural heritage - Guidelines for improving the energy performance of historic buildings

• Revises: SIST EN 16883:2017 - Conservation of cultural heritage - Guidelines for improving the energy performance of historic buildings
• Effective Date: 26-Mar-2025

oSIST prEN 16883:2026 is a CEN draft European Standard on conservation of cultural heritage. It gives guidelines for improving the energy performance of historic buildings while respecting their significance, and it is written for owners, authorities and professionals involved in conservation and renovation. The document sets out a working procedure for investigating a building, assessing its significance, and selecting measures that preserve character-defining elements as far as possible.

What does oSIST prEN 16883:2026 specify?

oSIST prEN 16883:2026 specifies a normative procedure for choosing energy performance improvement measures for historic buildings. It applies to buildings of all types and ages, whether or not they have statutory heritage designation.

The document is organized as a step-by-step process. It begins with general considerations, then moves through planning, building survey and assessment, objective setting, identification of the need for intervention, selection of measures, and finally implementation, documentation and evaluation. The procedure is iterative, so findings from one stage can send the project back to an earlier stage.

Annex	What it covers
Annex A	Example template for building information
Annex B	Example assessment table
Annex C	Alphabetical index of terms

What are the key requirements of oSIST prEN 16883:2026?

oSIST prEN 16883:2026 is built around a cautious, evidence-based approach. Clause 4 says each historic building must be treated as a particular case, with enough research and documentation to understand its significance, values and character-defining elements before any intervention is planned.

The building’s significance comes first

Clause 4.2 requires interventions to respect character-defining elements such as spatial configuration, appearance, fabric and technical systems. In practice, this means energy measures are not chosen only for technical performance - they must also be checked against the building’s cultural value.

Clause 4.2 also says significance shall be retained. The document repeatedly favors maintenance, minimal intervention, additivity and reversibility. That matters because a measure that is technically effective but damages original material can be unsuitable for a historic building.

Climate change is part of the decision

Clause 4.3 says the selection of measures should consider both climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation. In practice, that means looking at life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions as well as how the building will cope with future weather, overheating risk and changing moisture loads.

The same clause warns against maladaptation. The document therefore encourages passive or traditional techniques where they can replace or complement active systems, because these may reduce emissions and avoid locking the building into inappropriate technical solutions.

The work must be multidisciplinary

Clause 4.4 requires a multidisciplinary approach and close cooperation with owners and users. The project team must cover architectural and conservation planning, building operation, energy assessment, economic assessment, indoor environment impact, significance assessment, outdoor environment impact and practical implementation.

This matters in practice because the standard does not treat energy performance as a purely technical issue. Decisions need heritage knowledge, building physics, economics and operational experience together, especially where the project is complex.

Survey before selection

Clause 7 requires a survey and assessment that covers building information, historical significance, use, structure, energy performance and indoor environmental quality. The assessment is based on EN 16096 and EN 16247-2.

For a project team, this means the starting point is documented evidence: identification data, legal and heritage information, current and historic use, condition of the fabric and technical systems, and measured or calculated energy performance. The indoor environment should be documented through measurements and user surveys, and the diagnostic process should span at least a year so seasonal conditions are covered.

Measures are screened, scored and packaged

Clause 10 requires a step-by-step selection process:

• compile a long list of possible measures
• remove clearly inappropriate measures
• assess the remaining measures
• combine compatible measures into packages
• test the packages against the project targets

Clause 10.2 introduces a tabular risk-benefit method with a five-level scale. The assessment covers technical compatibility, significance, economic viability, energy, indoor environmental quality, impact on the outdoor environment, aspects of use and climate change adaptation. In practice, this helps the team compare measures in a transparent way instead of relying on a single number or a purely intuitive choice.

Clause 10.6 is important because measures can interact. The standard requires combined measures to be assessed as a package, not as separate items added together. Clause 10.7 then checks those packages against the targets defined earlier.

Implementation, documentation and evaluation still matter

Clause 11 says the document is mainly about planning and selection, but it still highlights special issues during implementation, documentation and evaluation. Temporary protection of movable and immovable cultural heritage must be considered, and changes during construction need a system for review and cost and schedule consequences.

After implementation, the measures should be evaluated to check whether the objectives were achieved. That feedback is useful both for the current building and for future projects.

What terms does oSIST prEN 16883:2026 define?

• Historic building - a building of significance; it does not have to be officially listed to fall under the document.
• Significance - the combined values assigned to an object, ensemble or collection.
• Character-defining element - materials, forms, location, spatial configuration, uses and cultural associations that contribute to significance.
• Statement of significance - a document describing the historic building and identifying its significance, values and character-defining elements.
• Energy performance improvement measure - an action that brings behavioral, design, economic or technical change leading to measurable or estimable improvement.
• Energy rating - the evaluation of an energy performance indicator against reference values, sometimes shown on a scale.
• Primary energy - energy that has not undergone conversion or transformation.
• Maladaption - an action that can increase climate-related risk, emissions or vulnerability.

Who uses oSIST prEN 16883:2026?

oSIST prEN 16883:2026 is intended for building owners, public authorities and professionals involved in the conservation and renovation of historic buildings. It is also relevant to project leaders, architects, conservation specialists, energy assessors, building managers and contractors who need to balance energy performance with heritage conservation.

In practice, it is used for planning renovation strategies, assessing the effect of measures on significance, preparing surveys and documentation, and choosing a suitable package of interventions for a specific historic building.

What changed in oSIST prEN 16883:2026 from the previous edition?

oSIST prEN 16883:2026 will supersede EN 16883:2017. The European foreword says the main changes are:

• climate change mitigation and adaptation have been introduced and clarified
• terminology has been aligned with EN ISO 52000-1:2017 and EN 15898:2019
• the nature of the provisions in the document has been identified and clarified

Which standards are used with oSIST prEN 16883:2026?

Standard	How it is used
EN 16096	Condition survey and report of built cultural heritage; supports the building survey and assessment
EN 16247-2	Energy audits for buildings; supports the energy performance assessment and the example template
EN ISO 52000-1:2017	Provides the overarching EPB framework and several aligned definitions used in the terminology and energy assessment
EN 15898:2019	Supplies conservation terms and definitions such as significance, value and conservation
EN ISO 14050:2020	Supplies climate and climate change terminology
EN 16798-1	Gives indoor environmental input parameters for design and assessment
EN 15757	Gives temperature and relative humidity guidance for organic hygroscopic materials
EN ISO 7730:2025	Supports thermal comfort assessment
EN 15759-1	Can apply to churches, chapels and other places of worship
EN 15643	Supports the life-cycle sustainability perspective used in the assessment criteria

What does the oSIST prEN 16883:2026 document contain?

The document contains a flow chart for the overall procedure, a worked structure of clauses 4 to 11, and three informative annexes. Annex A gives a template for building information, including legal, historical, technical, energy and indoor-environment sections. Annex B gives an example assessment table using categories and a five-level scale for comparing measures. Annex C provides an alphabetical index of the defined terms.

Clause 10 is the most method-heavy part of the document. It sets out the risk-benefit assessment categories and explains how to screen measures, score them and group them into packages. Annex A and Annex B are especially useful for surveys, planning files and decision records in conservation and energy-renovation projects.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2026
Ohranjanje kulturne dediščine - Smernice za izboljšanje energetske učinkovitosti
zgodovinskih stavb
Conservation of cultural heritage - Guidelines for improving the energy performance of
historic buildings
Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes - Leitlinien für die Verbesserung der energiebezogenen
Leistung historischer Gebäude
Conservation du patrimoine culturel - Lignes directrices pour l'amélioration de la
performance énergétique des bâtiments d'intérêt patrimonial
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 16883
ICS:
27.015 Energijska učinkovitost. Energy efficiency. Energy
Ohranjanje energije na conservation in general
splošno
91.120.10 Toplotna izolacija stavb Thermal insulation of
buildings
97.195 Umetniški in obrtniški izdelki. Items of art and handicrafts.
Kulturne dobrine in kulturna Cultural property and
dediščina heritage
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
October 2026
ICS 97.195 Will supersede EN 16883:2017
English Version
Conservation of cultural heritage - Guidelines for
improving the energy performance of historic buildings
Conservation du patrimoine culturel - Principes Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes - Leitlinien für die
directeurs pour l'amélioration de la performance Verbesserung der energiebezogenen Leistung
énergétique des bâtiments d'intérêt patrimonial historischer Gebäude
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 346.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 16883:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
3.1 Terms related to buildings . 6
3.2 Terms related to heritage . 7
3.3 Terms related to documentation . 8
3.4 Terms related to energy . 8
3.5 Terms related to climate change . 10
4 General considerations . 10
4.1 General . 10
4.2 Building conservation . 10
4.3 Climate change . 11
4.4 Qualifications . 12
4.5 Sustainable management . 13
4.6 Existing building envelope and technical systems . 14
4.7 User behaviour . 14
5 Overview . 14
6 Initial planning process . 15
7 Building survey and assessment . 16
7.1 General . 16
7.2 Building information . 17
7.3 Historical significance . 17
7.4 Building use . 17
7.5 Building structure . 18
7.6 Energy performance . 18
7.7 Indoor environmental quality . 20
8 Objectives . 21
9 Energy performance improvement . 21
10 Energy performance improvement measures . 22
10.1 General . 22
10.2 Assessment criteria and scale . 22
10.3 Possible measures . 24
10.4 Inappropriate measures . 24
10.5 Suitable measures . 24
10.6 Packaging of measures . 25
10.7 Selection . 25
11 Implementation, documentation and evaluation . 25
11.1 General . 25
11.2 Implementation . 25
11.3 Documentation . 26
11.4 Evaluation . 27
Annex A (informative) Example template for building information . 28
A.1 Building information . 28
A.2 Legal information . 28
A.3 Building description . 28
A.4 Defining significance and conservation opportunities and constraints . 29
A.5 Assessment of past and present use and intended future use . 29
A.6 Mapping building’s technical structure, condition and environmental influences . 29
A.7 Energy performance assessment . 30
A.8 Indoor environmental assessment . 30
A.9 Sources and management information . 30
Annex B (informative) Example assessment table . 31
Annex C (informative) Alphabetical index of terms . 33
Bibliography . 35
European foreword
This document (prEN 16883:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 346
"Conservation of Cultural Heritage" the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 16883:2017 [1].
[1]:
a) aspects related to climate change mitigation and adaptation have been introduced and clarifiéd;
b) terminology has been aligned with EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2] and EN 15898:2019 [3];
c) the nature of the provisions in the document has been idéntifiéd and clarifiéd.
Introduction
The European building stock represents an important cultural and material resource. Some buildings
are of significancé due to their historical, architectural or cultural values; this document refers to them
as historic buildings. Due to climate change and associated political goals, the need to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions (mainly CO ) associated with energy use in buildings is evident. A challenge is to improve
energy performance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions without unacceptable effects on the
significancé of the existing built environment. This aspect distinguishes working with historic buildings
from working with the building stock in general. Appropriate procedures are needed to improve energy
performance in historic buildings. This document provides guidelines for such a procedure. It
complements existing standards on energy performance for the building stock in general by focusing
on aspects particular to historic buildings and showing how existing standards can be applied
appropriately.
Historic buildings are material manifestations of immovable tangible cultural heritage. They are of
significancé to present and future generations. Significancé is a combination of all values assigned to a
building and its setting. Values can be of, among others, aesthetic, historic, sciéntific, cultural, social or
spiritual nature. These types of values include various heritage bound aspects, for example:
architectural, artistic, symbolic, technological, etc. Historic buildings in the sense of this document do
not necessarily have to be statutorily designated as cultural heritage.
This document is designed to be used by building owners, authorities and professionals involved in the
conservation and renovation of historic buildings. This document aims at facilitating the sustainable
management of these buildings by integrating measures for energy performance improvements and
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions with the adequate conservation of the buildings. Generally, the
guidelines will be applicable to a wide range of buildings where special considerations are needed in
order to find a sustainable balance between the use of the building, its energy performance and its
conservation.
This document should assist users in applying existing standards in the fiéld of energy éfficiéncy to the
special conditions of historic buildings. It presents a systematic approach, or procedure, to facilitate the
best decision in each individual case. This document does not presuppose that all historic buildings
need energy performance improvements.
1 Scope
This document provides guidelines for sustainably improving the energy performance of historic
buildings, e.g. historically, architecturally or culturally valuable buildings, while respecting their
significancé. The use of this document is not limited to buildings with statutory heritage designation, it
applies to historic buildings of all types and ages.
This document presents a normative working procedure for selecting measures to improve energy
performance, based on an investigation, analysis and documentation of the building including its
significancé. The procedure assesses the impact of those measures in relation to preserving the
charactér-défining elements of the building.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents contain text which fully or in part is part of the requirements in
the document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest
edition of the cited document applies (including amendments).
EN 16096, Conservation of cultural property - Condition survey and report of built cultural heritage
EN 16247-2, Energy audits - Part 2: Buildings
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and définitions apply.
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
3.1 Terms related to buildings
3.1.1
building
construction as a whole, including the fabric and all technical building systems, where energy can be
used to condition the indoor environment, to provide domestic hot water and illumination and other
services related to the use of the building
Note 1 to entry: The term refers to the physical building as a whole, or to all parts thereof, that at least include the
spaces and technical building systems that are relevant for the energy performance assessment.
Note 2 to entry: Parts of a building can be physically detached, but are on the same building site. For example: a
canteen or a guard house or one or more classrooms of a school in a detached part of a building; or an essential
space in a dwelling (e.g. bedroom).
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.1.2]
3.1.2
building element
integral component of the technical building systems or of the fabric of a building (3.1.1)
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.1.4]
3.1.3
building envelope
physical boundary or barrier separating the interior volume of a building (3.1.1) from the external
unconditioned environment
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-4:2021 [4], 3.2.4]
3.1.4
building fabric
physical elements of a building, excluding technical building systems
EXAMPLE        Roofs, walls, floors, doors, gates and internal partitions.
Note 1 to entry: It includes elements both inside and outside of the thermal envelope, including the thermal
envelope itself.
Note 2 to entry: The fabric determines the thermal transmission, the thermal envelope airtightness and (nearly
all of) the thermal mass of the building (apart from the thermal mass of furniture and technical building systems).
The fabric also makes the building wind and water tight. The building fabric is sometimes described as the building
as such, i.e. the building without any technical building system.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.1.5]
3.1.5
historic building
building of significance (3.2.4)
Note 1 to entry: A historic building does not necessarily have to be statutorily designated as cultural heritage.
3.1.6
renovation
action of renewing an object without necessarily respecting its material or significance (3.2.4)
Note 1 to entry: Renovation is not a conservation activity.
Note 2 to entry: A renovation plan, however, can involve some conservation actions.
[SOURCE: EN 15898:2019 [3], 3.5.9]
3.1.7
sustainability
state of a system, including environmental, social, cultural and economic aspects, in which the needs of
the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Note 1 to entry: The environmental, social, cultural and economic aspects interact and are interdependent.
3.1.8
technical building system
technical equipment for heating, cooling, ventilation, humidification, déhumidification, domestic hot
water, lighting, building automation and control and electricity production
Note 1 to entry: A technical building system can refer to one or to several building services (e.g. heating, cooling
and domestic hot water).
Note 2 to entry: A technical building system is composed of different sub-systems.
Note 3 to entry: Electricity production can include cogeneration, wind power and photovoltaic systems.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.3.13 - modifiéd. In Note 1, "heating, heating and domestic hot
water " is corrected to "heating, cooling and domestic hot water "]
3.2 Terms related to heritage
3.2.1
character-defining element
materials, forms, location, spatial configurations, uses and cultural associations or meanings that
contribute to the significance (3.2.4) of a historic building (3.1.5), which is preserved in order to retain
its significance (3.2.4)
3.2.2
conservation
measures and actions aimed at safeguarding cultural heritage (3.2.3) while respecting its significance
(3.2.4), including its accessibility to present and future generations
[SOURCE: EN 15898:2019 [3], 3.3.1 - modifiéd. Note 1, 2, 3 deleted]
3.2.3
cultural heritage
tangible and intangible entities of significance (3.2.4) to present and future generations
[SOURCE: EN 15898:2019 [3], 3.1.1]
3.2.4
significance
combination of all the values (3.2.5) assigned to an object, ensemble or collection
[SOURCE: EN 15898:2019 [3], 3.1.7]
3.2.5
value
aspect of importance that individuals, communities or society assign(s) to an object, ensemble or
collection in a particular context
Note 1 to entry: Values can be of different types, for example: artistic, symbolic, historical, social, economic,
sciéntific, educational, technological, functional, etc.
Note 2 to entry: The assigned value can change according to circumstance, e.g. how the judgement is made, the
context and the moment in time. Value should always be indicated by its qualifying type.
[SOURCE: EN 15898:2019 [3], 3.1.6]
3.2.6
reversibility
extent to which the outcome of an intervention can be undone without damage to the object
[SOURCE: EN 15898:2019 [3], 3.3.5]
3.3 Terms related to documentation
3.3.1
condition report
record of condition for a spécific purpose, dated and authored
Note 1 to entry: A condition report normally results from a condition survey.
[SOURCE: EN 15898:2019 [3], 3.6.5]
3.3.2
statement of significance
document describing a historic building (3.1.5) and identifying its significance (3.2.4), values (3.2.5) and
character-defining elements (3.2.1)
Note 1 to entry: The statement of significancé is a tool for conservation planning.
3.4 Terms related to energy
3.4.1
energy performance improvement measure
action to achieve behavioural, design, economic or technical change leading to vérifiablé, measurable
or estimable energy performance improvements
3.4.2
energy performance
calculated or measured amount of (weighted) energy needed to meet the energy demand associated
with a typical use of the assessed object, which includes energy used for spécific services (EPB service
(3.4.4))
Note 1 to entry: In the context of this document, "assessed object" is understood as the building or part of the
building that is the object of the energy performance assessment.
Note 2 to entry: Also called overall energy performance, to distinguish from partial energy performance.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.5.7 - modifiéd. Note 1 modifiéd.]
3.4.3
energy rating
evaluation of the value of an energy performance (3.4.2) indicator by comparison against one or more
reference values (3.2.5), possibly including a visualization of the position on a continuous or discrete
scale
Note 1 to entry: This can concern overall or partial energy performance.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.5.12]
3.4.4
EPB service
building service (3.4.5) included in the assessment of the energy performance (3.4.2)
Note 1 to entry: See définition of building service. Which services are included is a national or regional choice.
EXAMPLE        Energy used for heating, cooling, ventilation, humidification, déhumidification, domestic hot water
and lighting.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.5.13 - modifiéd. Deleted "spécifiéd in Annex A/Annex B" from
note 1 to entry.]
3.4.5
building service
service provided by technical building systems (3.1.8) and by appliances to provide acceptable indoor
environment conditions, domestic hot water, illumination levels and other services related to the use
of the building
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.3.3]
3.4.6
primary energy
energy that has not been subjected to any conversion or transformation process
Note 1 to entry: Primary energy includes non-renewable energy and renewable energy. If both are taken into
account it can be called total primary energy.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.4.29]
3.4.7
non-renewable energy
energy from a source which is depleted by extraction
Note 1 to entry: An example is energy from fossil fuels.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.4.10]
3.4.8
renewable energy
energy from renewable non-fossil sources, namely wind, solar, aerothermal, geothermal, hydrothermal
and ocean energy, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas and biogases
[SOURCE: EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2], 3.4.11]
3.5 Terms related to climate change
3.5.1
climate
statistical description of the weather in terms of the mean and variability of relevant quantities over a
period ranging from months to thousands or millions of years
[SOURCE: EN ISO 14050:2020 [5], 3.8.1]
3.5.2
climate change
change in climate (3.5.1) that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer
[SOURCE: EN ISO 14050:2020 [5], 3.8.3]
3.5.3
climate change adaptation
process of adjustment to actual or expected climate (3.5.1) and its effects
Note 1 to entry: In human systems, adaptation seeks to moderate or avoid harm or exploit bénéficial opportunities.
Note 2 to entry: In some natural systems, human intervention can facilitate adjustment to expected climate and
its effects.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 14050:2020 [5], 3.8.5]
3.5.4
climate change mitigation
human intervention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or enhance greenhouse gas removals
[SOURCE: EN ISO 14050:2020 [5], 3.8.6]
3.5.5
maladaption
action that can lead to increased risk of adverse climate-related outcomes, including increased
greenhouse gas emissions, increased or shifted vulnerability to climate change, or diminished welfare,
now or in the future
[SOURCE: IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), Working Group II[6] - modifiéd, "may" changed to "can"
to réfléct CEN terminology]
4 General considerations
4.1 General
This document describes a procedure of selecting appropriate measures to improve the energy
performance for a given historic building. This clause gives general considerations to be observed and
followed before applying the procedure.
4.2 Building conservation
Provision 1 - Requirement
Each historic building shall be considered as a particular case.
Provision 2 - Requirement
Consequently, sufficiént spécific research and documentation shall be undertaken.
Provision 3 - Requirement
The building’s significancé shall be carefully evaluated in respect of its international, national and
regional cultural context.
Understanding the building’s authenticity, integrity and significancé enables the définition of the
charactér-défining elements.
Provision 4 - Requirement
Any plan of intervention shall be governed by a detailed understanding of the building’s significancé,
including its values and charactér-défining elements.
This understanding will enable informed decisions to be made when developing and implementing
renovation strategies that will retain significancé of the building and its setting.
Provision 5 - Requirement
All measures shall be in accordance with the building conservation principles outlined in relevant
charters, standards and guidelines.
Provision 6 - Recommendation
Maintenance is the best conservation measure; any improvement measures should therefore facilitate
the continued maintenance of the building and any added elements and materials.
Provision 7 - Requirement
Any intervention to a historic building shall respect the building’s charactér-défining elements, which
can be in the form of spatial configurations, appearance, building fabric and technical building systems.
Provision 8 - Recommendation
Any measure that causes damage to these elements should be avoided.
Provision 9 - Recommendation
Interventions should be additive and as non-invasive and reversible as possible, in order to minimize
their impact on significancé.
Provision 10 - Requirement
Significancé shall be retained.
Provision 11 - Recommendation
Opportunities to reveal or reinforce the significancé should be considered.
This cautious approach involves changing as much as necessary but as little as possible.
4.3 Climate change
Climate change is expected to significantly alter hygrothermal loads and exacerbate multiple climate-
related risks that directly affect the assessment and selection of measures for improving the energy
th
performance (IPCC 6 AR[6]).
Provision 12 - Recommendation
When selecting energy performance improvement measures, consideration should be given both to
climate change mitigation—by reducing the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of the intervention—
and to climate change adaptation, by limiting exposure and vulnerability to gradual climatic shifts as
well as to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme events.
Provision 13 - Recommendation
Risk assessments of interventions should consider both present and future climates.
Traditional technologies and practices to control the indoor climate and adapt a building to changing
weather conditions can offer established and low energy (passive) ways of adapting to climate change.
Provision 14 - Recommendation
Such technologies and practices should be considered in order to substitute or complement modern
technologies and active control.
Interventions intended to improve the energy performance of historic buildings can, if poorly designed,
lead to maladaptation—measures that ultimately can affect risk conditions by either exacerbating one
or more components of risk (hazard, exposure and vulnerability, including adaptive capacity) or
introducing new risk conditions. Such actions can also increase emissions through the embodied carbon
from short-lived or inappropriate measures, lock-in effects, rebound effects, loss of passive climatic
performance, etc.
4.4 Qualifications
Provision 15 - Requirement
The procedure shall be carried out using a multidisciplinary approach in close cooperation with the
owners and users of the building.
Provision 16 - Requirement
The project team shall have the general architectural and technical qualifications required for any
renovation project.
Provision 17 - Recommendation
The team members should also have spécific and documented knowledge of and experience in work
with historic buildings.
Provision 18 - Requirement
Relevant expertise and qualifications in the following disciplines are required (listed in no particular
order):
a) architectural and conservation planning;
b) building operation and estate management;
c) energy performance assessment of buildings;
d) economic assessment;
e) impact assessment of indoor environment;
f) significancé assessment;
g) impact assessment of outdoor environment;
h) practical implementation of measures.
Provision 19 - Requirement
The project team shall be scaled to suit the complexity of the project.
Provision 20 - Permission
For less complex projects and for minor interventions, the project team may be reduced provided that
it still covers the range of expertise needed.
Provision 21 - Requirement
National and regional standards, requirements and practices shall be followed when selecting the
project team.
4.5 Sustainable management
Provision 22 - Requirement
The different aspects of energy performance and conservation shall be seen in the broader context of
the sustainable management of buildings.
Provision 23 - Recommendation
A fundamental consideration when taking a decision on energy performance improvement measures
should be whether these will facilitate the sustainable management of the building, taking into account
its conservation and long-term use.
There are four aspects of sustainability:
— Environmental sustainability:
— Environmental sustainability includes materials and energy used within the whole life cycle
of a building, including its construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition.
—
Provision 24 - Recommendation
These processes should be based mainly on renewable resources and have the lowest possible
greenhouse gas emissions.
—
Provision 25 - Recommendation
A historic building should be sustained through respecting the existing building, discouraging
the removal or replacement of materials and the use of new materials, which require
reinvestment of resources and energy with additional greenhouse gas emissions.
— Economic sustainability:
—
Provision 26 - Recommendation
All economic factors, such as market value, revenues and operating costs of a historic building,
should enable its long-term use.
— Social sustainability:
—
Provision 27 - Recommendation
A historic building should contribute to its local and social context in terms of its use as well
as aesthetic and social imprint.
— Cultural sustainability:
—
Provision 28 - Recommendation
A historic building should be managed so its significancé is retained for present and future
generations.
—
Provision 29 - Requirement
In the sustainable management of historic buildings, all four sustainability aspects shall be
taken into account and an appropriate balance sought between them, understanding that they
are complementary and mutually dependent, rather than isolated aspects.
4.6 Existing building envelope and technical systems
Provision 30 - Requirement
Before considering improving energy performance, the condition of both the building envelope and the
technical building systems shall be assessed.
Provision 31 - Recommendation
Necessary repair should be carried out before or in parallel with the implementation of energy
performance improvement measures.
This will improve the building’s energy performance and is important in order to avoid physical damage
to the building as a result of further interventions.
Provision 32 - Requirement
Existing technical building systems for heat generation, distribution and control shall, unless they are
to be replaced, be optimized in order to make the best of the existing situation before considering further
interventions.
4.7 User behaviour
Provision 33 - Recommendation
Users should be made aware of the impact of their behaviour and how it can influéncé conservation,
energy use and associated cost.
This concerns in particular the operation of windows, shading devices, electrical lighting, heating,
cooling and ventilation systems.
On one hand significant energy savings can be achieved through the change of user behaviour without
altering the building. On the other hand, when energy performance improvement measures are
implemented in a historic building it might not save as much energy as anticipated, because user
behaviour changes, for example by raising temperatures.
5 Overview
This document provides a systematic procedure to facilitate the best decision in each individual case.
The procedure does not définé or prescribe measures in general.
Provision 34 - Requirement
The procedure shall be used to identify the need for energy performance improvements and appropriate
improvement measures that match the requirements for the building in question.
This is an iterative process, as shown by the flow chart in Figure 1 and described in the following clauses.
Figure 1 — Flow chart showing the proposed procedure
6 Initial planning process
Provision 35 - Recommendation
The process should be seen in the wider context of renovations that are also driven by other forces. For
example, if a building is refurbished due to its state of disrepair, or change of use, energy performance
improvements should be made at the same time.
Provision 36 - Recommendation
The process should start with a clear indication of the general intentions of the client or owner of the
building to the project leader.
Provision 37 - Requirement
The project leader shall assemble a suitable project team (see 4.2).
Provision 38 - Requirement
A joint site visit shall be carried out.
Provision 39 - Requirement
Clear lines of cooperation shall be established at an early stage to identify who is responsible for each
part of the assessment process and how information is intended to be collected, analysed and presented.
Provision 40 - Requirement
The decision-making progress shall be documented.
Provision 41 - Recommendation
Early dialogue with heritage, energy and other planning authorities is encouraged for all projects, also
those involving non-designated buildings.
Provision 42 - Requirement
Relevant authorities shall be involved.
NOTE National regulations can apply.
Provision 43 - Requirement
Economic resources shall be idéntifiéd at an early stage in the project.
This document focuses on buildings rather than building stocks or ensembles of historic buildings within
a historic area.
Provision 44 - Recommendation
However, the consideration of a building stock or a district perspective should be taken into account in
the planning process if a building is part of a designated, historical area or if it is part of a larger building
stock.
Also, there can be good common solutions, such as district heating or collective use of renewable energy.
Provision 45 - Recommendation
The impact of energy measures on the significancé should also be considered on a district scale.
Provision 46 - Permission
Targets may be set for the whole district, creating a base for targets for each building according to
vulnerability and working with mutual compensation.
7 Building survey and assessment
7.1 General
The building survey and assessment provides the necessary information about the building in order to
make an informed decision on any energy performance improvement measures.
Provision 47 - Requirement
The building survey shall include general information about the building (see 7.2), describing
significancé and conservation opportunities and constraints (see 7.3), assessment of the use of the
building (see 7.4), documenting the building's structural type and its elements, its condition and
associated environmental influéncés (see 7.5), energy performance assessment (see 7.6), and indoor
environmental assessment (see 7.7).
Provision 48 - Requirement
The assessment shall be based on EN 16096 and EN 16247-2 (see example in Annex A).
7.2 Building information
NOTE Regarding general building information, national and regional regulations can apply.
Provision 49 - Requirement
The building information shall include general information about the building, including at least the
following:
— building idéntification;
— heritage designation information, including statements of significancé;
— legislative information, local, regional or national zoning plans or other applicable regulations.
7.3 Historical significance
Provision 50 - Recommendation
The analysis should cover all parts of the building and be based on its history.
Provision 51 - Recommendation
The analysis should contain the owner’s aspirations for the conservation assessment as well as
opportunities and constraints from heritage authorities.
Provision 52 - Recommendation
The following areas should be covered:
a) history and development of the building and its elements, construction details, technical building
systems, etc. (this includes the original design, sequential development of exterior and interior
form and evolving use or function of the building);
b) archaeological deposits where relevant;
c) significancé of the building, including adornments, fixturés and fitting, and its setting, detailing
values and its charactér-défining elements;
d) vulnerability to change for the whole building and its charactér-défining elements;
e) opportunity or potential to reinstall lost, or reveal hidden charactér-défining elements (e.g.
reinstatement of original window type) or enhancing their significancé;
f) conservation aspiration on behalf of the owner and other clients;
g) conservation priorities or constraints on behalf of the relevant heritage authorities.
Provision 53 - Recommendation
The methods of recording and documentation produced should be appropriate and proportionate to
the nature of the building and its significancé and for the purpose of the recording.
7.4 Building use
Défining adequate use in relation to the building's potential and limitations is a principal factor in
retaining a building's significancé.
Provision 54 - Recommendation
Descriptions and assessments should be made of the following:
— present use of the building;
— historic uses of the building;
— intended or planned future use of the building.
Provision 55 - Requirement
The future use of the building shall be considered critically to determine if and how the building can
meet today’s and future needs and demands without adversely affecting its significancé.
NOTE Change of use can entail applicability of different regulatory requirements, such as new construction
regulations.
Provision 56 - Recommendation
If those requirements imply decay or deterioration to the historic building, or if it damages its values,
the planned future use of the building should be reconsidered.
7.5 Building structure
Provision 57 - Recommendation
Documenting the building's structure and all elements including technical building systems and
condition should comprise at least the following:
a) brief description of architectural and construction type;
b) condition survey of all known elements of the building envelope with brief descriptions
(construction, dimensions, constituent materials, finishés and hygrothermal properties, previous
interventions), especially building elements that are relevant for energy performance and other
objectives of the project (see example in Annex A);
c) condition survey of all elements of the technical building system with brief descriptions;
d) information about local environment, climatic and topographic conditions (including regional
climate change scenarios) of the area, physical interactions with adjacent objects (buildings) and
other external influéncés (see example in Annex A).
Provision 58 - Recommendation
The building should be documented through drawings detailing the object and its environment in an
adequate scale and through a set of systematically taken photographs.
7.6 Energy performance
The assessment of the current energy performance provides one essential baseline for identifying the
need for energy performance improvement measures.
Provision 59 - Recommendation
The energy performance assessment should be based on EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2] and its related set
of EPB standards.
EN ISO 52000-1:2017 [2] establishes a systematic, comprehensive and modular structure for assessing
the energy performance of existing buildings in a holistic way. It is applicable to the assessment of overall
energy use of a building, by measurement or calculation, and the calculation of energy performance in
terms of primary energy or other energy-related metrics.
Provision 60 - Recommendation
The first step should be to assess the measured energy performance of the building in use which also
gives guidance on assessment period, monitoring and measurement with regard to different energy
carriers as well as corrections for weather conditions.
Provision 61 - Recommendation
The energy performance assessment should include an estimate of
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