Research and International Relations
Team research at our department: Development of Support Methods of Effective Building Maintenance Process Design
Team leader: György FATRAI PhD.
Our work is subserved by the Laboratory of Buiding Materials and Building Physics, also.
Prof. Dr. Attila KOPPANY
Publications are 2 dissertations, 17 scientific books and study-aids, 3 chapters, 40 articles in periodicals and 45 articles in periodicals.
Many of them in foreign languages. In addition 45 scientific reports and 45 oral presentations.
ongoing PhD Research Projects
Ongoing PhD Projects of Staff of the Department:
Research Topic Title:
Life Cycle Assessment and Sustainability Evaluation of Existing Buildings under Different Utilisation Scenarios
Researcher:
Rita Rebeka Szűrösné Ördög
Start of the Research:
2024
Topic Description:
During my research, I deal with life cycle analysis related to existing buildings. The lack of environmental impact values of historical materials is a research gap nowadays. While new building materials have precise environmental product declarations, there is no data on the environmental impact of the production technologies of historical materials (e.g., bricks fired in kilns), but these must also be known for sustainable renovation. One of the main goals of my research is to create a database that quantifies the environmental impact of historical bricks, thereby helping future renovation decisions.
Research Topic Title:
Building energy calculation in a BIM environment
Researcher:
Károly Dániel Németh
Start of the Research:
2025
Topic Description:
Nowadays, nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs) and the requirements of the Hungarian Ministry of Construction and Transport (ÉKM) regulations demand detailed, transparent, and reproducible energy modelling of building services systems. The focus is not only on the thermal insulation performance of building envelopes but also on the efficiency of building services systems, including solutions that utilize local renewable energy sources. Building Information Modeling (BIM) enables the comprehensive digital representation of a building through data-rich models, incorporating both architectural and building services components. The primary methodological approach of this research is the application of various software tools for building energy performance calculations. A key aspect of the study is the identification and analysis of data transfer errors occurring between BIM-based modelling software and building energy simulation tools. Furthermore, the research investigates the applicability of BIM-based models for automating building energy performance calculations while ensuring compliance with Hungarian regulations and European Union energy performance standards.
Research Topic Title:
Research of the possible fields of use of the products generated during the demolition of facade thermal insulation systems
Researcher:
Gábor Lekics
Start of the Research:
2022
Topic Description:
The research task is to determine the possible transformation and use of certain components recoverable during the demolition of facade thermal insulation systems, such as the reuse of polystyrene core insulation in production as a refined broken material, the use of glass mesh as a fiber reinforcement in ready-mixed concretes or production in the field of ready-mixed concrete and mortar. As part of this, the aim of material research is to experiment with concrete formulations and thermal insulation products in which demolition products can be used in a cost- and energy-efficient way. Research is also part of the analysis of the effects of these processes on the environment.
Research Topic Title:
Development of BIM-based structural diagnostic methods
Researcher:
Zsolt Szűrös
Start of the Research:
2024
Topic Description:
The goal of my research is to develop BIM-based structural diagnostic methods that support the objective assessment of the condition of existing, aging buildings. During the investigations, high-density three-dimensional point clouds of damaged structural elements are generated using terrestrial laser scanning and photogrammetry. Preprocessing and algorithmic analysis of the data enable the quantitative detection of structural degradation—such as deformations and cracks—with millimeter-level accuracy. The research integrates these objective results into a Building Information Modeling (BIM) environment, replacing traditional, subjective visual inspection methods. Through Scan-to-BIM processes and centralized data integration, a predictive condition assessment system is created that effectively contributes to monitoring the life cycle of buildings and preventing critical damage.
Research Topic Title:
Integrated Energy, Life-Cycle and Economic Assessment of Renovation Strategies for Budapest’s Historic Urban Residential Buildings – A Multi-Criteria Evaluation of Renovation Scenarios Combined with Attic Extensions
Researcher:
Heléna Szecskő
Start of the Research:
2020
Topic Description:
This research investigates the sustainable renovation of historic urban residential buildings through an integrated energy, environmental and economic perspective. Its primary objective is to develop a decision-support framework that simultaneously evaluates energy performance, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) indicators. The study focuses on representative historic apartment buildings in Budapest, with particular emphasis on deep renovation measures and refurbishment strategies combined with attic extensions. The research examines the impacts of renovation scenarios on energy consumption, carbon emissions, embodied carbon and economic performance. The results are assessed within a multi-criteria evaluation framework to support balanced decision-making between energy efficiency, environmental performance, economic feasibility and heritage conservation. The proposed methodology contributes to the decarbonization of the existing building stock and the transition toward a climate-neutral built environment.
Relations
National and International Relationships:
The Department has several national and international relationships. Most important are activities at CIB (International Comittee of Building Research and Building Pathology), MTA (Hungarian Academy of Sciences), where Prof. Dr. Attila KOPPANY is one of the comitee presidents, and ETE (Hungarian Scientific Society for Building) where Prof. Dr. Attila KOPPANY is the national joint president. Our Department takes part in ATRIUM international architectural project, and building construction conferences also.
