Sustainable building envelope renovation: integration of APV facade and timber energy systems (TES)
Abstract
Improving the energy performance of buildings effectively reduces consumption and heating costs while elevating indoor comfort. This paper is a part of comprehensive research which examines energy poverty among residential building users-a prevalent issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina and neighboring countries. Furthermore, it analyzes various alternative solutions for upgrading the building envelope to demonstrate their feasibility. This paper investigates the role of energy efficiency in residential buildings and evaluates the potential of adaptive photovoltaic (APV) façade systems in deep energy renovation. Focusing on a multi-family residential building in Banja Luka, this study combines theoretical findings on energy performance with an advanced renovation scenario based on the Timber Energy System (TES) envelope and Solskin adaptive photovoltaic technology. A detailed analysis of this prefabricated alternative solution demonstrates that upgrading the building envelope substantially reduces heating demand, while the integrated active photovoltaic elements enable on-site electricity generation. Energy calculation results indicate that this systemic approach maintains specific energy need for heating at a low level of 21.93 kWh/m²a, elevating the building to energy class B in the study area. Furthermore, CO₂ emissions are drastically reduced from 216.75 tCO₂ to 74.85 tCO₂. Ultimately, the research confirms that comprehensive energy renovation not only enhances building performance but directly drives decarbonization, improves the residents' quality of life, and demonstrates how building envelopes can evolve from passive protective elements into active, energy-producing systems that mitigate energy poverty and support climate goals.
Reference
Srđan Radanović; Darija Gajić; Milovan Kotur. (2026). Sustainable building envelope renovation: integration of APV facade and timber energy systems (TES). Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference Green Building 2026 - zbornik radova. https://doi.org/10.5937/greenb26025r
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