A systematic review of retrofitting buildings for sustainability from a lifecycle perspective

Carbon emissions from existing buildings pose a significant challenge to global efforts in combating climate change and environmental degradation. Retrofitting buildings for sustainability (RBS) is widely recognized as an effective strategy to mitigate global warming and achieve sustainable development goals. Although extensive research has been conducted on building retrofitting, no systematic review has comprehensively elucidated RBS-related issues from a lifecycle perspective. This study employs a mixed-review method, integrating systematic review and bibliometric analysis, to thoroughly analyze the current landscape of RBS research from a lifecycle view, covering the decision-making, implementation, and post-retrofit evaluation phases of RBS, and proposes potential future research directions. The analysis reveals how various factors and the cooperation among stakeholders impact the formulation of RBS decisions and examines the commonly used evaluation methods during the decision-making phase. Additionally, technical and management retrofitting strategies in the implementation phase, and the performance indicators and evaluation methods for RBS efficiency evaluation in the post-retrofit phase have been highlighted. Furthermore, relevant research challenges are identified, and future research directions are proposed. The results of this study are expected to provide guidance for more sustainable and efficient building retrofitting, helping to better address the challenges of climate change and promote energy conservation and emission reduction in the building sector.