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A significant part of the built environment and historical architectural heritage in the EU consists of masonry structures. These old structures often undergo severe decay, reaching a critical state of deterioration and becoming highly susceptible to natural disasters, especially in earthquake-prone areas. Some of the structures hold architectural and historical value. Modernizing, repairing, and reusing the existing built environment, alongside efforts in extending its service lifespan, are among the most effecti...

Worldwide there is a constant effort to reduce energy consumption in order to prevent the climate change by decreasing the gas emissions. Another major concern of the authorities is to preserve conventional energy sources by using energy from renewable sources. European laws promote the improvement of the energy performance of buildings, by considering the outdoor climatic and local conditions, without disregarding the indoor climate requirements (comfort). Starting with 31 December 2020, all new buildings should ...

The thermal insulation of the building envelope is a very important factor for the total energy consumption of buildings. Considering the fact that more than 40% of the global energy use and the corresponding CO2 emissions comes from the building sector, the choice of good thermal insulation products can contribute to large energy savings. The choice of thermal insulation products should not be solely made based on installation and operational costs, but rather on the global environmental impact and energy demand ...