Analytical simulation tools for energy retrofitting school buildings

The Italian school buildings heritage subjected to renovation work is less than 1% per year, and it is characterized by inadequate functional levels, often critical. This is mainly due to poor maintenance and to the high average age of buildings, with consequent high energy consumption, inadequate standards of safety, equipment and spatial distribution often unsuitable for the modern educational needs. The need to work on multifaceted factors favors the adoption, within a more general redevelopment strategies frame, of a bioclimatic approach, capable of enhancing the resources of local microclimate and of solar gains. The use of methods of climate simulation of buildings behavior is useful for evaluating the most effective strategies. Tools for simplified and predictive evaluation of performances may be particularly useful; they can be applied in the architectural outline planning stage. These tools allow to compare different alternatives, estimating the effects of design decisions, through the modeling of the area biophysical and microclimatic aspects. In particular, they allow to obtain information on energy consumption and indoor comfort conditions, in terms of acoustic, hygrothermal, lighting and ventilation performances. This paper summarizes the results of some simulations on school buildings retrofitting projects, highlighting the applicability and reliability of these tools.