TalTech professor of building physics Targo Kalamees received the Estonian national research award in engineering and technology for his series of works titled “Deep Renovation and Ensuring Moisture Safety of the Housing Stock to Improve the Quality of Life and Reduce the Environmental Impact of Buildings.” His research has significantly advanced renovation, hygrothermal performance, energy efficiency, and climate resilience in buildings.
A key outcome of this research is the development of an industrialized renovation technology that utilises innovative prefabricated insulation elements, shifting a substantial portion of the work traditionally done on-site to factories. This has established a new standard in the serial renovation of apartment buildings, allowing for faster, higher-quality renovations with reduced life cycle costs.
The market readiness and practical value of this technology are evidenced by numerous multistorey apartment buildings renovated using the industrialized method, its export to Germany, and an ongoing pilot renovation project in Ukraine. Kalamees’ work has laid the scientific groundwork for renovation solutions in the housing sector and has helped develop practical guidelines and policy measures aimed at accelerating building renovations.
Within the oPEN Lab project, significant progress was made in developing and demonstrating industrialised renovation technology for high-rise buildings. Additionally, research was conducted to assess how building load-bearing structures can withstand the additional loads imposed by the insulation elements. Prototype insulation elements previously used in Tartu living lab were transported to Ukraine and reinstalled at the Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University’s dormitory to evaluate their suitability for renovating Ukrainian apartment buildings, further highlighting the potential for circular renovation and the reuse of these insulation elements. The dormitory will be deeply renovated in 2026 with the help of the Estonian Centre for International Development – ESTDEV.
