INFINITE Green Paper published

We have just released a new “White Paper”, titled “Greening solutions for industrialised deep retrofit”. The publication explores how green roofs and green façades can be integrated into prefabricated, industrialised renovation systems, combining energy performance with environmental benefits.

Given the subject, the name “Green Paper” is more than apt!

Why green solutions can help deep retrofit

Industrialised renovation is often associated with speed, quality, and scalability. This paper shows that it can also deliver environmental and climate benefits, by integrating nature-based solutions directly into prefabricated façade and roof systems.

Greening solutions can:

• reduce surface temperatures through shading and evapotranspiration
• improve urban microclimate and comfort
• retain rainwater and support biodiversity
• enhance the performance of integrated energy systems (e.g. PV)

This is particularly relevant in cities facing heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and increasing climate pressure.

The paper goes beyond theory. It presents how INFINITE:

• integrated green solutions into prefabricated “all-in-one” façade and roof kits
• tested them in full-scale mock-ups
• monitored performance under real environmental conditions

Results from the façade testing facility at Eurac Research show that green façades can significantly reduce temperatures compared to conventional cladding. This amounts up to 11°C on the structure and 18°C on the façade surface during peak summer conditions.

How to implement green solutions in prefabricated envelopes?

The Green Paper provides a step-by-step methodology for integrating green solutions into industrialised renovation, including:

• technical feasibility checks (structure, waterproofing, drainage)
• criteria for selecting façade and roof systems
• integration with prefabricated timber-frame modules
• maintenance and lifecycle considerations

It also identifies key barriers to implementation, such as weight constraints, irrigation management, and maintenance requirements, and proposes practical solutions to address them. The success of integrating greening solutions depends on the quality of planning, plant selection, resilient detailing and clear operational responsibilities and much more.

Read the paper on Zenodo.

Thanks to the authors:

• Leitner, Elisabeth (Grunstattgrau)
• Gaudes, Ainhoa (Leitat)
• Gubert, Martino (Eurac Research)
• Demanega, Ingrid (Eurac Research)