A Strong Research Environment for Sustainable Renovation Established in Sweden

Abstract: Sweden, as many other nations, faces large-scale, urgent need for renovation of post-war building stocks which have past their technical service life. To ensure the quality and effectiveness from different perspectives, environment, economy and the social, and enhance professionalism of the renovation process, a concretization of models for integrated sustainable renovation and development are needed. Such models will be developed within a research environment for Sustainable Integrated Renovation (SIRen) in Sweden. The approach is inter- and trans-disciplinary involving researchers at universities and institutes, actors in the construction and real estate industry, and relevant authorities, but still with a solid basis in disciplinary research. The research focuses on complex issues of renovation and redevelopment of existing buildings and urban areas conforming to objectives for reduced climate change, altered demographics and increased focus on democracy in planning, which are among the most important challenges for modern society.