Integrating Passive Energy Efficient Measures to the Building Envelope of a Multi-Apartment Building in Sweden: Analysis of Final Energy Savings and Cost Effectiveness

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Editor,

 

I read carefully the paper entitled "Integrating passive energy efficient measures to the building

envelope of a multi-apartment building in Sweden: Analysis of final energy savings and cost-effectiveness".

 

Concretely, this paper ==presents an analysis of different passive EEMs integrated into the building envelope of a typical multi-apartment building constructed under the Million Program in Sweden. The cost-effectiveness of the passive EEMs is analyzed for three different economic scenarios. These different economic scenarios are established according to prescriptive approach by assuming different economic parameters i.e. discount rates and energy price escalations. Cost-effective energy efficiency measures were combined into packages for each economic scenario.==

 

We have discovered many scientifically valuable elements.

 

However, the approaches found in the paper are relatively simplistic.

 

The documentation of the work is based on a small number of bibliographic references, some of which are old, respectively published many years ago.

I recommend expanding the documentation, using articles published in the years 2022/2023, from prestigious WoS journals with a high impact factor.

 

In particular, to specify which is the part through which the paper brings superior elements in relation to other researchers.

 

Eventually, the limits of this research should be highlighted.

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Please, see the attached file, thanks.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

As a reviewer, here are a few questions and comments to consider:

1. Could you elaborate on the specific objectives of the study? For instance, why did you choose to focus on a typical Swedish multi-apartment building from the 1970s? Are there any unique characteristics or challenges associated with this type of building that make it an interesting subject for investigation?

2. Could you provide more details about the economic scenarios and renovation cases considered in your techno-economic analyses? What were the criteria or assumptions used to select these scenarios? Additionally, how did you determine the net present value of energy cost savings and investment costs for the energy-efficiency measures?

3. It would be helpful to know where you sourced your data for insulation materials, windows, doors, and other components. Were these based on real-world market conditions, and were any assumptions made about their performance or cost trends over time?

4. You mention that improved windows yield the highest final energy savings, but additional mineral wool roof insulation is the most cost-effective measure. Could you discuss why there is a difference in performance versus cost-effectiveness between these measures? What factors might contribute to this disparity?

5. Given that the study focuses on a specific type of building and location (Swedish multi-apartment building from the 1970s), could you provide insights into how the findings might be applicable or generalizable to other building types or regions? Are there broader implications for energy retrofit strategies?

6. It's important to acknowledge any limitations of the study. Are there any constraints or assumptions that might affect the generalizability of the findings or the accuracy of the cost-effectiveness analysis?

7. Could you briefly discuss how the results of your study might inform energy renovation policies or strategies in Sweden or other countries? Are there policy recommendations that can be drawn from your findings?

Overall, the paper presents valuable research on cost-effective passive energy-efficiency measures for building renovation. Expanding on the points above could help provide a more comprehensive understanding of the study's context and implications.

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Please, see the attached file, thanks.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Integrating passive energy efficient measures to the building
envelope of a multi-apartment building in Sweden: Analysis of
final energy savings and cost-effectiveness

Manuscript ID: buildings-2640170

Abstract
The result of the study can be more emphasized in the abstract. More numerical results should be included in the abstract.
Keywords
There are too many keywords; choose those that reflect the essence of the work. Also, keywords should be different from the words in the paper's title.
Introduction
The study adequately presents information regarding its novelty and the specific gaps it aims to address in the existing literature.
Materials and Methods
Please express the Figure 1 differently.
Please give a citation for Table 3.
Provide a detail for energy analysis software.
Results
The results are effectively presented in both numerically and graphically.
Discussion
The discussion section should explain differences or similarities with the results of previous studies.
What are the limitations and future directions of this study? I suggest including a separate section to discuss the limitations of the proposed work and the future research directions.
Conclusions
A comprehensive revision of the conclusions is needed. Some sentences were too long, making them difficult for readers to understand. Be clear and concise. Summarize the main points.
Language:
The text contains several typographical and grammatical errors that must be
corrected before the paper can be accepted.

Minor edit.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Please, see the attached file, thanks.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The improvement in the quality of the work is obvious.

I agree with publication in the journal.