Lavinia Chiara Tagliabue

Synergy of geothermal heat pumps and PV plant for buildings block

Geothermal heat pumps (GSHPs), using ground as thermal source in summer and winter period, can reach high energy and economical advantages for heating and cooling of residential and commercial buildings compared with others systems.

Energy Efficiency Assessment Based on Realistic Occupancy Patterns Obtained Through Stochastic Simulation

Occupant’s behaviour determines a significant level of uncertainty in building energy use. The relevant “performance gap” usually encountered between energy performance simulation with standard design conditions and actual energy performance is clearly connected to the biased assumptions made, especially for the parameters that can have a large variability. The paper deals with the variability of energy performance determined by occupants’ behaviour. The operation parameters related to occupancy profiles, such as air change rates and internal heat gains, are investigated. A specific analysis of indoor air quality is carried out to verify the internal conditions of an education building, chosen as case study, the Smart Campus Demonstrator of Brescia University in Italy. The parameters related to occupancy and used in energy modelling are derived from realistic dynamic patterns generated stochastically. The data envelopment of the stochastic schedules is used to simulate the potential variability in daily and hourly energy consumption due to changing operational patterns and to highlight the “performance gap” with respect to standard simulation settings. The modelling approach proposed is conceived for an initial energy modelling phase, however it can be extended and validated during real time building operation, by implementing coherent performance monitoring and benchmarking practices. The research work constitutes the starting point of a more general activity aimed at integrating inverse modelling techniques in current design practices for building retrofit. The availability of a calibrated and validated building energy model is fundamental to explore accurately further efficiency intervention for the building.

Performance monitoring and building integration assessment of innovative LSC components

Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) represent a promising technology for integrating renewable energy sources in buildings. In facts, LSC components can be easily installed in place of traditional glazing, producing renewable energy while preserving the transparency of the building envelope. The present work describes the performance characterization carried out on new LSC prototypes which have been tested in outdoor conditions. In particular, a double-glazed prototype of a LSC component for building integration was compared with a standard LSC plate, both realized with the photoluminescent composition of the ENI dye used for the spectrum converter dispersed in the LSC includes an acene compound and a benzothiadiazole compound. The preliminary results show a slightly lower performance of the double-glazed component, which has, however, a higher potential to be used as a traditional building element. Moreover, it should be noted that the angle of incidence of beam solar radiation has a low influence on electric performance in comparison with standard PV modules.

Progressive energy retrofit for the educational building stock in a smart city

The proposed research focuses on energy progressive upgrades of the existing building stock and the connection with the smart city through the Building Information Modeling (BIM) process as a fundamental key factor for the implementation of a connected built environment. Nowadays, this core topic fits into the discussion of the Digital Transition, both about infrastructure (innovative schools), both in the educational services and learning methods (National Plan for Digital Schools Methodologies). Two main points compose the presented research: as first the processes of collecting information and retrofit options (energy retrofit and space use) assessment achieved by a performance based approach for the energy segment and according to a behavioral mindset (behavioral design) for the functional and spatial reorganization and definition. The second part of the project, related to the smart cities, concerns the connection of the buildings between them and with the cultural environment and communities included in the city. The outcomes of the research are intended in presenting a multidisciplinary methodology able to reconnect a broad public building stock to the development of urban and social regeneration policies strongly needed at national and international level.

A BIM-Based Decision Support System for Building Maintenance

Available data about asset condition and performances can be conveyed into different Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Many KPIs measuring technical, functional and economic/financial asset performances can be found in literature. Nevertheless, they are often strictly related to a specific scope, thus they provide an incomplete depiction of the whole assets performances. The objective of this research is to provide facility managers and asset owners with an easy instrument to prioritize maintenance. In order to reduce costs related to its use, the instrument, developed in the form of a Decision Support System (DSS), is based on existing and reliable performances metrics and leverages new technologies like Building Information Modelling (BIM). Accordingly, the Facility Condition Index (FCI) is combined with the D index, a KPI related to the age of building components, developed by the authors. The joint use of the FCI and the D index, allows facility managers to make more conscious decisions. The proposed DSS helps in the definition of the best maintenance plan, providing a ranking of building components which require more urgent maintenance interventions. Although the DSS should be tested measuring its ability to preserve buildings and their performances on a long term, the first results are positive, as confirmed by the application to a case study on an office building in Italy. Moreover, the usability of the instrument has been appreciated by the users in a medium size Italian company.

Environmental and comfort upgrading through lean technologies in informal settlements: Case study in Nairobi, Kenia and New Delhi, India

Informal settlements, namely slums (or bidonville or favelas) are one of the stronger challenge for urban context in developing countries. The increase of urban population leads to a widespread poverty and critical life conditions for a large segment of population, in particular in Sub-Saharan Africa, where a high percentage of people lives in informal settlements. The problems in slums are multiple: people suffer malnutrition and poor sanitation, flooding or drought, and live in shelters providing no thermal comfort in many days of the year, furthermore scarce and highly polluting energy sources are available. Climate change and an unavoidable heat island effect make these living conditions nearly catastrophic. This paper focuses on the main characters of these slums and on how to what promote the improvement of living conditions with a lean, low cost, low impact, feasible upgrading of the housing or more properly shelters. The subject of the analysis is the Mathare 4A Upgrading Programme in the city of ...

Thermal and electrical performance of a solar multifunctional roof

In a collaborative project between the Lombardy Region and Politecnico di Milano, a solar roof has been installed during the functional and technical refurbishment of the main building of the Centre of Professional Training (CFPA) of Casargo, Lecco. The refurbishment program of the CFP is focused on the technical systems for thermal energy supply for various building applications, e.g. sanitary hot water, air-conditioning and ventilation. The adopted technological solution is the TIS (integrated solar roof) system, which with its modular structure, can easily be integrated in to the existent roof. The TIS is a multifunctional roof and capable of producing both the electrical and thermal energy from the sun. Recently, the refurbishment of the CFP is completed and a sophisticated system is installed to monitor the performance of the different system components of the TIS. In this work, the details of the multifunctional roof and monitoring system have been described and the monitoring data are presented to verify estimated energy savings.