The replacement of old, fossil fuel-based heating systems is of paramount importance.
In households of the European Union, space heating accounts for the largest share
of final energy consumption, making the method of heat production critical. Various
studies estimate that approximately 120 million buildings in the EU require some form
of refurbishment, either passive or active, to comply with the latest energy performance
directives. Existing regulations focus primarily on efficiency and aim to reduce heat
losses, suggesting the replacement of outdated systems and the upgrading of building
envelopes. However, they rarely consider the environmental impact of other life cycle
stages except use stage of the newly installed building elements. This situation may
escalate to the point where considering the whole life cycle of an improvement or
replacement is no longer justified solely by emissions and energy use. The Energy
Performance of Buildings Directive, and its localized regulations in Hungary impose
criteria that require the renovation of existing buildings, often making compliance
achievable only through heating system replacements. Hence, this study investigates
the background of heating system changes in a small traditional flat, assessing their
benefits in terms of emissions and energy use over the full life cycle.
