Lina Seduikyte

National building registers can provide complete stock coverage, but missing energy performance data constrain renovation prioritisation. This study assessed all 4736 building objects officially registered for educational purposes across all 60 Lithuanian municipalities (8.77 million m²), using registry data, policy documents and exploratory responses from five municipalities. Overall, 91.8% of buildings were completed before 1991, and 96.2% were at least 20 years old. Official energy performance certificates were available for 2075 buildings (43.8%), and positive calculated heating demand values for 36.5%. Analytical proxy categories for uncertified buildings increased screening coverage to 100%. Validation against EPCs yielded 49.8% exact agreement, 82.8% agreement within one harmonised category and a linearly weighted Cohen’s κ of 0.243. The proxy classified 99.2% of buildings with official classes D–G as ≤D, but its specificity for retaining C-or-better buildings was 18.3%, demonstrating a trade-off between coverage and certainty. The broad D-or-lower screening group contained 3534 buildings; restricting it to those with registry-based physical depreciation of at least 40% and no recorded intervention completion identified 536 candidates for further assessment. Registry proxies can support transparent national screening and identify certification needs but cannot replace official EPCs or establish individual rankings under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

A persistent barrier to BIM-based whole-life carbon assessment (WLCA) and circularity assessment is uncertainty whether and to what extent exchanged Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) models contain relevant information needed to parameterise inventory inputs. Without explicit readiness checks, missing or generic semantics may only become apparent during dataset mapping, leading to reliance on undocumented assumptions. This paper proposes an early-stage framework for assessing the information exchange readiness of IFC building models for WLCA inventory preparation and selected circularity-oriented interpretation. The framework structures checks into progressive levels: L1 element identification and classification, L2 geometry and quantity availability, and L3 material definition and property assignment, producing coverage metrics and categorical issue records. L4a and L4b are defined as conceptual extensions toward broader decision-support information for whole-life carbon reporting and end-of-life management. Prototype implementation reports information gaps affecting element inclusion, including incomplete property definitions, assignments, material specifications, and missing quantity data. To support fairer comparison across heterogeneous element subcategories, based on the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Whole Life Carbon Assessment 2.0 standard, the framework applies assessment relative to what is relevant for each of the subcategories. The study indicates that transparent, level-based IFC exchange-readiness assessment can support more traceable WLCA inventory preparation and circularity-oriented interpretation by making unmet information requirements explicit.

While BIM-LCA plugins allow faster life cycle assessment (LCA) workflows, 2024 Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and upcoming assurance frame-works begin demanding auditable workflows - here - Digital Building Logbooks (DBLs), leading to potential gap between speed and accuracy. This study benchmarks two BIM-to-LCA routes on a 3794 m ² science building in Kaunas, Lithuania: IFC → OneClickLCA and drawing take-off (PDF → LCAbyg) workflows. Both use sector-average datasets and cover modules A1-D over a reference study period, here, 50 years. The IFC export dropped curtain-wall and HVAC objects, resulting in 30% greater whole-life kgCO ₂ eq; restoring elements cut the gap to 8 %. Changing only the electricity grid setting in LCAbyg from static mix to progressive mix shifted the GWP by 46 %. Module D credits ranged from -600 t to -146 t CO ₂ e because OneClick defaults to downcycling, whereas LCAbyg passes the EPD module D value and rescales it with the grid factor. These swings exposed the impact of the lack of metadata from exported BIM model into IFC. Geometry checks at export/import and additional DBL tags (electricity factor and scenario type, for module D transparency) could let plugin workflows reach 10 % deviation with manual take-off at LOD 300 - meeting EPBD 2024 upcoming requirements - while avoiding rework.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools is directly linked to student health, comfort, and performance, while renovation strategies are increasingly assessed for their embodied carbon impacts alongside energy savings. However, little is known about how renovation affects both IAQ and embodied emissions in real school settings. This study hypothesized that renovation improves thermal stability but may not ensure compliance with IAQ standards, while introducing additional embodied carbon from new materials. To test this, two architecturally identical Lithuanian schools, one renovated, one non-renovated, were compared during the transition from heating to cooling season. IAQ monitoring focused on carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature, and relative humidity, and a life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate the additional embodied carbon of renovation materials, since energy-focused upgrades like insulation and new windows can improve indoor comfort but also increase material-related emissions. Results showed that renovation improved temperature stability and reduced sensitivity to outdoor conditions, but both schools frequently exceeded recommended CO₂ thresholds during lessons. The LCA showed notable embodied carbon impacts from façade insulation and window replacement (A1-A3 stages), highlighting a trade-off between material use and comfort gains, though long-term operational savings may offset these initial emissions over the building service life. The results underline the importance of renovation that brings together thermal comfort and CO₂ performance and embodied carbon reduction to create both healthy and sustainable learning environments.

Climate change presents intensifying challenges for Europe, demonstrated in extreme weather events, energy system stress, and land-use pressures. In response, the European Union has expressed a comprehensive dual strategy: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing territorial resilience. This paper critically examines the EU’s evolving climate governance through key frameworks, including the European Green Deal, Fit for 55 package, and the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD 2024). It analyses how these instruments are operationalised across scales, with a particular focus on the integration of emissions reduction and adaptation objectives in building renovation, and spatial planning policies. The analysis foregrounds structural and contextual barriers ranging from institutional fragmentation to social inequalities and explores emerging opportunities in whole-life carbon reduction, sufficiency strategies, digital tools, and nature-based solutions. It reflects on the strategic role of multi-level governance and interregional cooperation in managing systemic risks. The paper offers recommendations for embedding resilience and climate neutrality into regional planning based on recent EU-level assessments. It supports for accelerated switch of EU directives, equitable funding mechanisms, enhanced data transparency, and civic engagement to strengthen implementation. Ultimately, the paper positions the EPBD and related frameworks as critical levers in transforming the built environment into a cornerstone of a just and climate resilient European future.

This paper presents a case study on applying digital tools for the sustainable renovation of a cultural heritage building, the Mikas and Kipras Petrauskas House in Kaunas, Lithuania. The study integrates Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM), indoor environmental quality (IEQ) monitoring, and life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate renovation solutions in alignment with smart and sustainable city goals. A high-accuracy HBIM model was developed using photogrammetry and laser scanning, achieving less than 2% deviation from validated geometric dimensions. The model provided a reliable foundation for analytical workflows and demonstrated how digital capture can reduce time and mitigate reliance on outdated documentation. Indoor climate measurements indicated critical humidity conditions during the cold season, highlighting the need for improved environmental controls to preserve both occupant comfort and material preservation. LCA was employed to assess the embodied carbon of renovation materials, and alternative selections led to a 22% reduction in CO ₂ e emissions. The results confirm that integrating HBIM, IAQ analysis, and LCA provides a robust methodology for data-driven decision-making in heritage renovation. The approach also supports the future development of digital twin frameworks that balance environmental sustainability with cultural value.

This study explores community-driven projects, participatory governance, and adaptive urban policies to enhance social resilience and sustainability in urban environments. By combining a comprehensive literature review, a questionnaire survey, and practical recommendations, it underscores the importance of socioeconomic equality, cultural heritage preservation, and inclusive growth. Through both qualitative and quantitative analyses that incorporate a broad review of scientific literature and a focused survey within Lithuania, this study identifies key strategies for strengthening urban resilience. It highlights the critical role of community engagement in urban planning and the preservation of heritage as a means to maintain local identity and foster civic participation. These elements collectively contribute to more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban spaces.

This literature review explores the synergies between circularity and decarbonization principles in the construction sector, focusing on their potential to accelerate the transition to a carbon-neutral future. Through analysis of 61 studies, critical barriers are identified, such as data gaps, insufficient recycling infrastructure, and regulatory fragmentation, that hinder the integration of circular and low-carbon strategies. Regional disparities reveal that developed regions, supported by robust policies and infrastructure, lead in circularity adoption, while developing regions face systemic challenges, including limited material recovery networks and technological barriers. Previous studies have largely examined circularity and decarbonization separately, whereas this review provides a synthesis of their interdependencies, focusing on implementation challenges and regional disparities, highlighting synergetic solutions such as fiscal incentives, material passports and stricter end-of-life waste regulations, biobased and carbon-negative material innovations, and digitalization through tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and/or digital twins. However, complexity of circular solutions and lack of interdisciplinary collaboration forms a barrier against integration. This review emphasizes the need for standardized frameworks, cross-sectoral coordination, and targeted investments to ease integration of circularity and decarbonization.