Becerra Wenger, Loreto Paz | Chile

Loreto Paz Becerra Wenger graduated with distinction as a Diploma Architect in the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the Universidad de Chile (Chile). She successfully finished her Master World Heritage Studies at Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU), in Germany with the thesis entitled "Management of earthquakes impact on the cultural heritage”. She took part as a research trainee at TU Eindhoven; funded by the European Commission (EC) Leonardo Program, in the research team working on the project "Outstanding Universal Value, World Heritage Cities and Sustainability”. She studied as an exchange student at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning in the University of Stuttgart, Germany. She worked as an architect in several offices in Chile. She worked at The National Monument Council (CMN) in Chile, in charge of the trainees, developing a book series called “Guidelines for reconstruction”.

Project at IAS-STS: Reducing the energy consumption and carbon footprint of old, protected buildings, focusing mainly those with public ownership

General view: Energy efficiency and the Carbon dioxide (Co2) level reduction has been in the past decades a worldwide concern. This has been undertaken by many international and national authorities mostly in developed countries. According to specialists, cities have caught the attention in many regions (e.g. in United States, Europe, and eastern China) positioning themselves as one of the main focus of Co2 emitters.

Problematic:
- Development has brought new technology to urban areas along with growth. In urban protected areas progress has raised new challenges for the modernization of tangible cultural heritage.
- Historic public buildings have changed their use over time to accommodate the new growing demand of space.
- Energy efficiency in new buildings has been long considered as part of the overall project. Nevertheless, in historic buildings this concern has not yet been fully included.

Considering the capability of cities towards change acceptance, I would like to investigate on the existing management system to comprehend the current status of conservation for the existing protected buildings within the historic center of Graz as a case study. The logical method will be the following:
1. Understanding of the existing management plan
2. Mapping the Historic Public Buildings which have been: modified, refurbished, rehabilitated, etc. in the last X years. Here it will be needed a Geographic information system to create a database.
3. Define the stakeholders (owners, Heritage protection departments, administrators of the buildings, external consultants and politician)
4. Point out the shortcomings of the management system. If energy efficiency (EE) is applied to historic buildings (how) and to which extend and how does the management affect the protected buildings.
5. How can EE be included or improved –depending on the case- from the urban point of view for the benefit of the historic public buildings in particular.