INVESTIGATING THE INTEGRATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS IN

HERITAGE SITES
Introduction to Authors:
Ekata Shrestha Jeeya Shrestha Bhumika Pathak
sthaekata@[Link] sthajia08@[Link] bhumikapathak350@[Link]
Makawanpur Lalitpur Jhapa

Krisendra KC Malesh Shah

krisendrakc444@[Link] [Link]@[Link]
Pyuthan Kathmandu

Executive Summary
In Nepal, the rapid urbanization, increased population, and more emphasis on the safety side
rather than sustainability defeat energy efficiency in building construction. The passive house
concepts are very new although certain regions have applied energy-saving strategies like
orientation of homes to capture passive solar gain. Besides this, there is no comprehensive
guideline related to energy-efficient building design in Nepal; hence, it leads only to short-term
cost-driven construction methods. The sectoral division of energy use is dominated by the
residential sector at 80%. With this in mind, the government contemplates a range of policy
measures that reduce energy consumption, costs, and environmental impacts. This article
overviews international studies, presents a case of incorporation of renewable energy solution
to a heritage site and suggests possible steps for sustainable adoption of renewable energy
technologies at such sites.
Background

In developing countries like Nepal, energy efficiency in building construction is often

overlooked due to rapid population growth and urbanization. Many households lack safe
housing, and the government has set goals to improve this situation. While there are efforts to
promote energy-efficient building design, current building codes focus primarily on safety,
space, and structural requirements. Passive house design is a new concept in Nepal. The passive
house (or Passivhaus) is a German standard with strict design and operation requirements to
minimize the building energy and consumption. In some areas, people use solar energy to heat
their homes, and in colder regions, they may adopt passive house strategies by orienting their
homes towards the south-east and using large windows to capture sunlight. Currently Nepal
lacks a proper guideline or policy about passive house design. In the absence of such a policy
people usually go for the short-term high-cost easy construction methods. Therefore, there is a
need to research on reducing energy use in residential sector as it shares large portion (about
80%) of total end use. Such policy would not only control the energy costs, but also reduce
environmental footprints and increase value and competitiveness of buildings.

International Studies on Integrating Renewable Energy in Existing Buildings

Several studies have examined ways to make historical buildings more energy efficient without
changing their appearance. Recent studies have focused on the incorporation of renewable
energy sources in university campuses. Such studies conclude that renewable energies reduce
energy usage and educate the minds of students on sustainability. The relationship between
heritage conservation and sustainable development has become more relevant and a growing
subject. Most of the studies have focussed on economic and social benefits arising from
heritage conservation and called for effective management of conservation. Multiple research
papers focusing on building efficiency, historic preservation, and renewable energy adoption
have been reviewed. A comparative study on two approaches for improving energy use in a
warm climate proved that passive house standard is better in terms of energy saving and
sustainability for cities with hot climates, such as Seville in Spain. This study analysed the
reasons for the collapse of a 325-year-old temple in Nepal during the 2015 earthquake, and the
research findings indicated that this temple collapsed as a result of excessive movement of the
structure resulting from bending. Another study put the earth-air heat exchangers system into
tests in various buildings across China and determined that this system has the potential to save
so much energy during extreme climate conditions.

Another review focused on energy consumption and comfort, improving old buildings and
found the majority of research has focused on houses. Some other research was also done on
incorporating renewable energy sources into old structures, like solar and geothermal energies.
Although this is a very difficult venture, at the same time, it is equally important. One research
discussed the performance of the building during the earthquake in Nepal 2015, and concluded
that schools with special safety measures against earthquakes were far better survivors. Another
proposed a strategy that would enhance the percentage of energy saving and recycling in
schools based on taking schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The researchers within the university
campuses created that renewable energy technologies use may provide energy efficiency to
buildings. A study showed that when it involves public space comfort in Poland, older people
feel hotter compared to the younger one. In fact, a study of old building conservation in
Ethiopia outlined that most of the local communities appreciate their heritage but usually do
not have research and support in this regard. All these studies outline different ways of
improving the performance of buildings, saving history, and using renewable energies.

A Case Study by Kathmandu University

A case study was performed at the Durbar High School, situated in Ranipokhari, Kathmandu.
A questionnaire survey was conducted among the staff, students, and the principal in order to
understand their perception with regard to the integration of renewable energies. The survey
helped in determining the situation regarding thermal comfort in classrooms. The goal was to
develop such measures that are efficient yet consider the historical value of the school. One
real classroom temperature was measured by a data logger. TRNSYS was used to perform
thermal simulation. Being a historically significant building, there was less area to work on.
Adding insulation in the walls stood out to be the best option to achieve the thermal comfort.
Employing the Ashby method, cellulose emerged as the most suitable insulation material. To
enhance the wall's thermal performance, a 150mm layer of cellulose insulation was
incorporated into the wall cavity, positioned between the inner brick and plaster layers. The
accompanying figure illustrates the resulting temperature distribution as simulated. Cellulose
insulation offers a slight advantage in terms of thickness compared to fiberglass insulation.
This means the same level of insulation can be achieved with a potentially thinner layer of
cellulose, which can be beneficial in applications where space is limited. Additionally,
cellulose's blown-in installation method allows it to conform to the shape of wall cavities and
attics, minimizing air gaps and drafts. This ultimately contributes to better overall thermal
performance and energy efficiency within the building envelope. With addition of cellulose,
the room temperature was found to be 30 °C at most during summer while initial was 33 °C.
Conclusions and Recommendations

Sometimes, the well-designed architecture of historical sites preserves their thermal comfort.
But certain places, like Durbar High School and Singha Durbar, have changed functionally or
have seen a rise in foot traffic. These changes present a unique opportunity to enhance energy
efficiency and thermal comfort in such sites. With this initiative, the ideas of energy-efficient
building design can be integrated into historical and cultural places in addition to commercial
and residential buildings to ensure the long-term sustainability and comfort of these historical
and cultural sites while preserving their historical significance and aesthetic appeal. Including
renewable energy options into the mix is a crucial part of this effort. This strategy encourages
environmental care and sustainability in addition to lowering dependence on traditional energy
sources. The need to bring historical and cultural sites up to current energy requirements is
highlighted by this initiative. We can accomplish two goals by using energy-efficient
architecture and renewable energy sources: maintaining the historical character and
encouraging a comfortable and sustainable atmosphere. Following steps can be taken to
integrate renewable energy solutions in sites with historic importance sustainably:

• Train architects, engineers, and contractors on the peculiar challenges and best practices
in retrofitting historical buildings
• Set up advisory services that will guide in the selection of appropriate materials,
technologies, and techniques which provide a balance between energy efficiency and
preservation
• Provide tax incentives or partial refunds in case of major thermal retrofit projects for
historical buildings by the property owner
• Provide access to low-interest loans to finance retrofitting projects, making them more
economically viable
• Document and disseminate case studies of successful retrofitting projects for
examples and best practices
• Introduce public-private partnerships to incentivize funding and implementation for
large-scale retrofitting projects at significant historical sites
By implementing these steps, energy efficiency can be promoted in historical buildings while
safeguarding their cultural heritage for future generations.