Full-service renovation – ideal concept

The ideal full-service concept consists of five phases, going from the initial evaluation of the house, to extensive analyses, a proposal for package solutions, coordinated planning and execution and operation and management of the house after renovation, see Figure 27. However, the first step in implementation of a one-stop-shop model is that the company offering such a service must do some kind of marketing to inform the customers about the value proposition and create interest in the full-service concept. Various marketing strategies are investigated in Mahapatra et al. (2011).

Figure 27: Ideal full-service concept for energy-efficient renovation.

The different phases in the concept are briefly described below.

Initial house condition and energy evaluation (phase 1)

House owners interested in the full-service concept will contact the one-stop-shop service provider/company. Initial analysis of the condition of the house and its energy-saving potential can be carried out by the house owner using an internet tool or a simple model provided by the service provider. Alternatively, the one-stop-shop service provider should visit the house to be renovated, conduct a free-of-cost preliminary building inspection and discuss with the homeowner the renovation requirements and the availability of subsidies. The house owner should also receive a rough estimate of possible savings and documentation/visualization of the effect of energy and non-energy benefits on the cost of financing the renovation. One possible basis for the analysis is an existing energy label, house condition report, drawings, pictures and other relevant documents.

Detailed building inspection and energy analyses (phase 2)

Based on the outcome of the preliminary analysis, some homeowners may opt for a traditional renovation process and avoid a more detailed energy analysis. However, others may be inclined to know more about the condition of the building and the potential to improve energy efficiency. This is an opportunity for the company to offer the option of a more comprehensive building inspection and detailed energy analyses by an independent actor (e.g. an independent energy consultant). The detailed analyses would be paid for by the homeowner, but refunded if a renovation package solution is bought from the company (phase 3). Extensive analyses, such as blower door testing and building thermography, will also provide the company with information that allows for a safe foundation for providing the homeowner with an evaluation report, including advice on how to improve the energy performance of the house in connection with the renovation needed, and fixed price quotations for the renovation work.

Proposal for package solutions (phase 3)

Based on discussion with the house owner about the evaluation report, proposals for renovation package solutions are put together, including a quotation for the work, financing and management of the contract work. Output from meetings with the house owner is used for further analyses and optimized combinations of technical renovation measures in the renovation packages. As output from phase 3, the homeowner receives a pre-project folder with fixed-price proposal(s) for these renovation packages, including visualization/documentation of their effect on:

 Energy use and energy bill – Total and annual investment cost versus savings in energy cost

 Household economy – short and long term, including the effect of the increased value of the house, etc.

 Indoor environment, e.g. indoor temperatures, draught, air quality and daylight

 Other durability and maintenance issues

 Alternative housing if the house needs to be vacated during renovation.

 Time line for the renovation work

The company should be able to carry out this phase within a few hours provided that the right system for the configuration of standard technical solutions is in place, including simplified but accurate calculation models for the estimation of energy savings and economic feasibility.

Coordinated execution of the renovation work (phase 4)

The house owner evaluates the packages and any remaining economic and financing issues are clarified and a contract for renovation work is signed. A detailed work description, including the time line, is set in place. If needed, drawings are prepared, and the contract work is carried out by the company and the affiliated professional group of consultants and contractors. The company obtains the necessary renovation permissions from the authorities and helps the homeowner apply for possible loan and/or governmental subsidies. The quality of the renovation work should be checked continuously to make corrections and make sure that the requirements defined are fulfilled. At the end of this phase, the renovated house is ready for use.

Quality assurance and continuous commissioning (phase 5)

The renovated house is inspected, e.g. by an independent certified energy consultant, to check the quality of work, and heating and ventilation systems are commissioned for at least two years. One important issue is to check that energy performance is continuously achieved and to make sure that the house functions optimally according to owner expectations and user needs. The energy performance of the building is regularly recorded and compared with the estimated potential for energy savings. The homeowner is presented with a follow-up evaluation report and a user manual on how to operate the building. Since user behaviour can have a large impact on energy use, it is important to present the homeowner with information on the consequences for energy use and indoor environment if the house is not operated as prescribed.

4.3.2 Concept for technical renovation packages targeted at different