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A Sustainable Approach towards the Retrofit of the Public Housing Building Stock: Energy-Architectural Experimental and Numerical Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Federica Rosso

    (Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy)

  • Arianna Peduzzi

    (Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy)

  • Lorenzo Diana

    (Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy)

  • Stefano Cascone

    (Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy)

  • Carlo Cecere

    (Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Nowadays, energy retrofit interventions on the existing building stock are of paramount importance towards energy consumption and emissions reductions in the construction sector. Such interventions are also crucial in the view of increasing cities resilience with respect to the intensification of frequent extreme weather events, such as cold spells and heatwaves. Indeed, a wide portion of our cities is dated and lacking with respect to performances. These are the motivations behind the proposed sustainable approach, which deals with the environmental perspective, but also with social and economic ones, by proposing the retrofit of the Public Residential Building stock (Edilizia Residenziale Pubblica, ERP). The objective is to improve the energy performance of ERP stock by means of construction materials coming from local km0 agricultural waste and by-products. The research was conducted by means of in field and numerical analyses of the energy performances of a relevant case study building. Different layers of bio-based, recycled construction materials for the envelope were tested with respect to their efficacy in improving the energy performance of a case study building. The results demonstrate that the most performing envelope solutions and their combination are able to reduce up to 36% of the yearly energy consumption for heating.

Suggested Citation

  • Federica Rosso & Arianna Peduzzi & Lorenzo Diana & Stefano Cascone & Carlo Cecere, 2021. "A Sustainable Approach towards the Retrofit of the Public Housing Building Stock: Energy-Architectural Experimental and Numerical Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:5:p:2881-:d:512358
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lehmann, B. & Ghazi Wakili, K. & Frank, Th. & Vera Collado, B. & Tanner, Ch., 2013. "Effects of individual climatic parameters on the infrared thermography of buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 29-43.
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    3. Ingrao, Carlo & Lo Giudice, Agata & Bacenetti, Jacopo & Tricase, Caterina & Dotelli, Giovanni & Fiala, Marco & Siracusa, Valentina & Mbohwa, Charles, 2015. "Energy and environmental assessment of industrial hemp for building applications: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 29-42.
    4. Federica Rosso & Anna Laura Pisello & Veronica Lucia Castaldo & Marco Ferrero & Franco Cotana, 2017. "On Innovative Cool-Colored Materials for Building Envelopes: Balancing the Architectural Appearance and the Thermal-Energy Performance in Historical Districts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-13, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Marcelle Engler Bridi & Joao Soliman-Junior & Ariovaldo Denis Granja & Patricia Tzortzopoulos & Vanessa Gomes & Doris Catharine Cornelie Knatz Kowaltowski, 2022. "Living Labs in Social Housing Upgrades: Process, Challenges and Recommendations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, February.
    2. Lorenzo Diana & Saverio D’Auria & Giovanna Acampa & Giorgia Marino, 2022. "Assessment of Disused Public Buildings: Strategies and Tools for Reuse of Healthcare Structures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-25, February.
    3. Rui Oliveira & Ricardo M.S.F. Almeida & António Figueiredo & Romeu Vicente, 2021. "A Case Study on a Stochastic-Based Optimisation Approach towards the Integration of Photovoltaic Panels in Multi-Residential Social Housing," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Stefano Cascone, 2023. "Digital Technologies and Sustainability Assessment: A Critical Review on the Integration Methods between BIM and LEED," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, March.
    5. Giovanna Acampa & Lorenzo Diana & Giorgia Marino & Rossella Marmo, 2021. "Assessing the Transformability of Public Housing through BIM," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-24, May.
    6. Zhou Li & Jiahui Diao & Shaoming Lu & Cong Tao & Jonathan Krauth, 2022. "Exploring a Sustainable Approach to Vernacular Dwelling Spaces with a Multiple Evidence Base Method: A Case Study of the Bai People’s Courtyard Houses in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-26, March.

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