Value creation by re-renovation – focus on the user perspective

Abstract

Historic multi-residential buildings that have been renovated at an earlier occasion are today facing new interventions. Re-renovation defines a concept for a second major renovation which opens up for the possibility of re-creating architectural and heritage values that has been lost in earlier renovations at the same time as demands for modernisation, energy efficiency, and economy are met. This paper focuses on what values heritage and historic buildings represent for residents, how they perceive the effects of energy renovation, what building elements they appreciate, and the implications for carrying out re-renovation. An empirical study of two cases with rental and owner-occupied housing has been applied combing a questionnaire survey (n= 83) and interviews (n=9). Findings indicate that historic buildings create values for their residents which should be considered by property owners when planning a renovation or re-renovation. Methodologically, asking residents about heritage values is challenging and the paper provides suggestions for further research in the field