Cost-optimal methodology for energy requalification of “raffaello” school in Pistoia

In 2017, 46.5% of school buildings in Italy needed urgent maintenance regarding architectural usability and accessibility, but also concerning structural, energy and environmental aspects. 36% of the energy needs during the operational and management phase of the Italian school sector is required by secondary schools. The main objective of this paper is to propose an integrated (architectural, energy and environmental) redevelopment for the “Raffaello” School in Pistoia (Italy) aimed at improving the environmental and technological system and decreasing the building’s primary energy demand. Here, for the sake of brevity, we will only deal explicitly with energy rehabilitation. The results show that the replacement of the artificial lighting system with LED lamps alone leads to a 45% decrease in primary energy demand. Moreover, for the sake of completeness a cost-optimal analysis was performed referred to both heating and lighting system and technological solution for the external envelope. The cost-optimal analysis points out that the substitution of artificial lighting system is the upgrade measure that satisfy both economic and energy sustainability, confirming previous findings. Regarding external envelope redevelopment the more advantageous solution is the one with external insulation layer in wood fiber with aerated concrete blocks for load-bearing functional layer.