Preparing houses for gas free heating

Mission

Preparing existing housing stock for transitioning towards gas-free heating comfortably, affordably and less hassle for the occupants.

The challenge

The Netherlands is facing a crucial challenge in achieving its goal of a carbon-free built environment by 2050. It requires transitioning from traditional gas-based heating systems to renewable-based solutions such as district heating or heat pumps. However, most existing dwellings are not equipped to make this energy transition and require a thorough investigation. Additionally, there is decision paralysis in selecting affordable and energy-efficient renovation solutions that can be implemented quickly and do not compromise the users' comfort. Therefore, is a need for a systematic approach to support a faster transition towards a sustainable built environment.

The solution

Our proposed solution involves the development of a comprehensive decision-making framework based on multi-criteria decision methods (MCDM) concepts. This approach considers the preferences and priorities of both occupants and decision-makers, as well as the unique context of the building, to identify the most appropriate solutions. The resulting method provides opportunities to evaluate the comfort, energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness and carbon impact of the renovation solutions for comprehensive and holistic decision-making regarding selecting appropriate solutions for the transition towards gas-free heating. Furthermore, implementing this solution will bring all stakeholders into one central platform, streamlining the decision-making process and creating a seamless transition towards a sustainable built environment.