Integration of building energy certification in the environmental sustenaibility assessment: simplified methodological approaches

The article 6 clause 9 of the Italian Decree Law 192/05, that transposes the European Directive 2002/91/EC on the energy performance of buildings (EPBD), foresees the definition of simplified methods in order to carry out the energy certification of existing buildings minimizing costs imposed on final users In this context ITC-CNR (Construction Technologies Institute of the Italian National Research Council) and ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment) developed a software tool which implements the procedures defined in the technical standards complying with and supporting the EPBD requirements. The calculation engine has a and allows also unspecialized users to create an energy certificate. Some input data are automatically assigned on the basis of the entered information. The development activities were concentrated on the definition of algorithms able to establish relationships between qualitative information and quantitative characteristics of materials, building envelope components and technological plants. Besides, an accurate sensitivity analysis allowed to define the input parameters that most influence the energy performance indicators in order to minimize the data necessary to conduct the analysis. The simplified analysis could also be used in the procedure of environmental sustainability assessment using such an approach as the GBC system. In this framework it is possible to introduce the performance indicators calculated using specific methods and tools in compliance with the legislative and normative reference frame in force. ITC focuses in particular its activity on the study of the relationship between energy diagnosis and certification and environmental sustainability assessment depending on the building life phase, typology and complexity. The paper presents the result of this activity and also reports some executed case studies.