Application of CLT prefabricated exoskeleton for an integrated renovation of existing buildings and continuous structural monitoring

To reach the ambitious target of decarbonization by 2050, a deep transformation of the construction sector and a systematic renovation of the existing building stock, is required. To be effective, such a renovation requires the adoption of a Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) approach and the implementation of new digital tools to maximize the performances, while enabling the reduction of impacts and costs along the whole building life cycle. The paper proposes a retrofitting intervention, applied to a real case study, that accounts for all these aspects and it is conceived to be applied from the outside, without relocating the inhabitants as to overcome one of the major renovation barriers. From a structural point of view, the retrofit solution entails the adoption of a wooden shell made of CLT prefabricated panels, connected to the building and to the foundations by means of dry, standardized and easy demountable connections, also lumping damage in case of earthquakes. For improving the energy efficiency an optimized thermal layer is applied on the envelope, and a new plant system is introduced around the structural shell. The new plant system enables inspectability and the possibility of further implementation of components over time without interrupting the building functions. Finally, additional sensors are adopted for the continuous monitoring of structural health, energy consumption and comfort relevant metrics.