Preservation of existing buildings in south Lebanon - energy conservation : housing development & culture architectural heritage & conservation

Abstract

“The first law of thermodynamics says that the total quantity of energy in the universe remains constant. This is the principle of the conservation of energy. The second law of thermodynamics, which is controlled by the concept of entropy, states that the quality of this energy is degraded irreversibly. It is the principle of the degradation of energy.” (Rosnay 1998). (See figure1. Entropy Law Graph. (Skarameas, 1985) page 1). Based on the above, and making use of the opportunities provided by the era of liberation, and due to the predominant lack of public awareness of energy saving (see figure 2, page 2), this study aims at preserving buildings by conserving energy that has deteriorated. This deterioration has been caused by negligence, abandonment and absence of maintenance due to the long-term occupation of South Lebanon. The advantages of energy conservation in existing buildings are financial, social and physical. The process of preservation can be achieved by: a. Analysis of the existing state of buildings. b. Analyzing the deterioration of energy in buildings and the identifying the seven levels of intervention. c. Defining environmental comfort. d. Proposing guidelines for improving energy efficiency. e. Proposing guidelines for the conservation of materials. f. Proposing the appropriate methods for cleaning structures. In conclusion, it is to be emphasized that preservation is to be implemented by subjecting each building and each component of a building to detailed examination. The nature of such scrutiny shall be to define and identify the appropriate remedial measure to be adopted.

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