3 BUILDING RENOVATION AND RESTORATION BUILDING RENOVATION What does building renovation deal with? Building renovation or remodelling is the . The most important reason is the improvement of the living comfort and indoor climate, reducing energy consumption and saving money at the same time. process of renewing and or making additions to an existing building upgrading thus Renovation process , such as , tiles or , improving the equipment in the kitchen and bathroom, replacing and . Improvement and added features: new flooring carpets hardwood solid windowsills window fixtures upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC); increasing the capacity of plumbing and electrical systems, adding technological communication systems and home automation systems. : Comfort roof and replacement, concrete and masonry repairs to walls and the ; repairing plumbing and electrical systems. Maintenance and repair: tear-off chimney turning secondary areas ( and ) into habitable spaces, extending the house with rooms added to the side of the building or with an extra level to the original roof. Additional space: basement attic reducing utility costs with energy-efficient insulation of walls and roof, use of renewable energy with solar and photovoltaic panels. Saving energy: home alarm systems; fire alarm and sprinkler systems to protect homes from fire, security doors, window . Safety measures: burglar shutters removing of all materials dangerous for human health such as , PCBs , lead paint. Hazardous materials management: asbestos 1 1 certain geographic areas are more to earthquakes than others. Many existing houses were constructed before the new building regulations which require earthquake-resistant buildings, so they are most likely to need a . Evaluation of home’s ability to withstand an earthquake: prone seismic retrofitting WARM UP • Has a part of your house or flat been renovated? If so, what kind of improvement has been made? • If not, what kind of renovation could be necessary to improve the living space? DO Do you know what health problems asbestos can cause? Are any parts of the building where you live made with materials containing asbestos? Compare your answer with those of your classmates. 1 MORE The commercial production of PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls) started in 1929 but their use has been banned or severely restricted in many countries since the 1970s and 80s because of the possible risks to human health and the environment. 1