Abstract
Accounting for nearly 40% of final energy consumption, buildings are central to European energy policy. The Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings establishes a benchmarking system known as cost-optimality to set minimum energy performance requirements in new and existing buildings. This paper applies the cost-optimal methodology to an existing structure located in the Mediterranean area (Southern Italy). The building is composed of two units that have been considered for different uses: hotel and multi-residential. Several energy efficiency and renewable measures have been implemented both individually and as part of packages of measures. The cost-optimal solution has been identified as able to optimize energy consumption and costs from financial and macroeconomic perspectives. The first reference building (hotel use) shows a maximum reduction of primary energy and CO2 emission of about 42%, falling within the CasaClima energy class D, while the second reference building (residential use) achieves a value of 88% for primary energy and 85% for CO2 emissions, falling into class B. Thermal dispersions through the envelope can be limited using a suitable combination of insulating materials while a variety of technical variants are selected, such as VRF (variant refrigerant flow) systems, heat pumps with fan coils associated with controlled mechanical ventilation, solar thermal and photovoltaic. This paper illustrates the development of energy retrofit projects, in order to reach a balance between efficiency measures and costs for a building having two different uses, providing guidance to similar case studies related to a warm climate.
Highlights
Buildings account for nearly 40% of final energy consumption in Europe [1]
The EPBD recast introduces the target of nearly zero energy buildings from 2018 onwards [2]
The EPBD recast introduces the concept of cost-optimality that is strictly connected to nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs) since the cost-optimal level represents the minimum level of ambition for nZEBs performance
Summary
Buildings account for nearly 40% of final energy consumption in Europe [1]. Considering the high energy consumption and high potential energy savings of this sector, European energy policies are aimed at improving energy efficiency and promoting renewable energy sources. Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD, Directive 2002/91/EC), and its recast Directive 2010/31/EC) represent the core of energy efficiency promotion. The EPBD recast introduces the target of nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs) from 2018 onwards [2]. Achieving the nZEB target remains an open challenge in Europe, especially in existing buildings [3]. The EPBD recast introduces the concept of cost-optimality that is strictly connected to nZEBs since the cost-optimal level represents the minimum level of ambition for nZEBs performance
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