Holistic assessment of carbon abatement strategies in building refurbishment literature — A scoping review

Abstract

The refurbishment of building stocks constitutes a significant role in reducing carbon emissions from the built environment. However, refurbishment rates remain low despite tools and methods for addressing this issue has been prevalent for a long time. This article aims to perform a holistic review of scientific literature that aims to reduce carbon emissions by refurbishing buildings. A scoping review and snowball sampling of 106 articles analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the methods used, scales applied, and carbon emission sources investigated in the literature. The study’s central finding is the aspect of induced-mobility emissions due to the location of buildings, which are essential to consider avoiding sub-optimization in refurbishment studies. No standardized methods exist for assessing several buildings on a larger scale with a broader scope. The methods applied vary, and the advantages and inaccuracies exist due to trade-offs between quantity and data quality. Most studies are aware of the issue, and techniques to overcome the problems exist, but more research is needed to overcome the discussed boundaries. This article provides an overview previously not available in literature while illuminating the gaps in the current. The work will aid future studies in finding refurbishment strategies that increase the carbon emission abetment and help them avoid future pitfalls.