Effects of energy efficiency measures on building performance: an analysis in seven European cities

This work presents the energy performance analysis of an autarkic residential building, located in the suburb of L’Aquila, in central Italy. The analysis is performed via a calibrated dynamic thermal model, carried out with EnergyPlusTM engine coupled with DesignBuilder. The aim of this study is the further understanding of the optimization margins of the energy self-sufficient building by considering different Energy Efficiency Measures and the effects obtainable in different climatic conditions. Four Italian cities and three European capitals are considered, in addition to different scenarios, characterized by various technological plants. In fact, a significant difference between the high efficiency of the envelope, and the poor performance of the heating system was observed. The results highlighted the remarkable energy performance optimization of the analyzed building, although the effects of the Energy Efficiency Measures showed notable differences between colder and warmer climates.