Climate adaptation strategies for non-domestic buildings: evaluating retrofit and adaptation measure performance under future weather scenarios using building energy simulation

Conference item

Climate change poses unprecedented challenges for buildings through rising temperatures and increased thermal discomfort. This particularly affects the UK, where most buildings predate adaptation standards, creating knowledge gaps about longterm performance for structures expected to operate 50-100 years. Simultaneously, while urgent net-zero targets are driving rapid implementation of energy-saving retrofits, their effectiveness under future climate conditions remain unclear. This study has two objectives: investigating how future climate affects building energy performance and thermal comfort while evaluating traditional retrofit effectiveness for climate adaptation, and identifying when these strategies become insufficient, requiring additional measures for adequate thermal comfort. The methodology uses building energy simulation on three Oxford case study buildings representing diverse typologies and construction periods. Energy performance and thermal comfort are analysed under historical (2022-2024) and projected future climate data (2025-2080) across multiple scenarios: no retrofits, net-zero carbon measures, and climate-specific adaptation strategies. Results reveal that building type, age, and design decisions significantly influence climate resilience, with newer buildings not necessarily providing better future thermal comfort than older ones. Traditional energy-saving retrofits reduce consumption but can worsen summer comfort in certain configurations, highlighting gaps between current practices and future climate demands. This work provides a replicable framework for quantifying long-term effectiveness of design decisions and determining optimal timing for secondary interventions, informing investment strategies for building stock resilience.

Authors: Peinturier, L; Wallom, DCH

• Publication status: Accepted
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
• Host title: Proceedings of the 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference
• Article number: C181
• Publication date: 2026-03-01
• Acceptance date: 2025-12-01
• Event title: 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference
• Event location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
• Event website: https://www.ashrae.org/conferences/2026-winter-conference
• Event start date: 2026-01-31
• Event end date: 2026-02-04
• DOI: 10.63044/w26pei181
• Language: English