The energy renovation pathway to ZEB in Italy: Analysis of typical buildings and methodological aspects

Abstract

The evolution towards high-energy efficient buildings is one of the most important challenges today and is in line with the objectives set by the new European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) which provides for the decarbonization of entire building stock by 2050. The study starts from the analysis of the current regulatory framework in Europe and Italy, highlighting the lack of homogeneity in the methods of transposition of European directives by the Member States already at the “nearly zero energy buildings” level (nZEB). Starting from these considerations, the critical analysis of the European and Italian context highlights the need to overcome the standards currently in force and investigate new perspectives for the design of high-efficient buildings in the direction of “zero energy and zero emissions”. For this reason, two residential and office buildings typologies are examined to confirm whether the net Zero Energy Building (ZEB) objective can be achieved through the legislation in force in Italy, starting from nZEB level. The study analyses the energy balance through dynamic simulations and evaluates energy needs of buildings and renewable energy production in order to verify the compliance to ZEB target, on yearly and monthly basis.