RETROFIT

Some old buildings that need to be renovated, but have requirements such as maintaining their original architectural characteristics, can opt for Retrofit.

Retrofitting a building means revitalizing it, preserving original aspects and adapting it to current requirements and standards. The term comes from two expressions: “retro” which means “to move backwards” and English “fit” whose meaning is “adaptation”.

The difference between the concepts:

Reformation: it is the name given to a change in shape (understood in the broad sense), a change in the shape, nature or size of something, in order to improve it. This verb, in turn, means to re-form, redo, modify something. The reform is usually an initiative or project that seeks to implement an innovation or achieve an improvement in some system or structure. It can also be carried out through minor repairs, that is, that which was not pleasant in the eyes of the owner, and or that a long time has passed since its initial construction.

Restoration: Restoration is an intervention made on a historical asset, aiming to maintain its identity, its characteristic features of the time and its authenticity, so that future generations have access to the historical cultural style with the maximum possible of its original identity.

It is also important to maintain the original function of the work and it is essential that an attempt be made to assimilate the building’s original construction materials and styles, so that its historical value has been ensured.

Retrofit: Appearing in Europe and the United States, the concept of “Retrofit” means “putting the old one in shape” (retro from the Latin “moving backwards” and fit from English, adaptation, adjustment), a term increasingly heard in the civil construction market, applied to the building revitalization process. More than a simple renovation, it involves a series of modernization and readjustment of facilities. The objective is to preserve what is good in the existing construction, adapt it to current requirements and also extend its useful life.

Where to apply Retrofit?

Any type of building can undergo a retrofit, but it is advisable to carry out a study to see if it is really feasible to use it. Some cases where retrofitting is a good alternative are:

• Historic heritage sites listed.

• Important milestones.