2023

The study investigated the effects of energy retrofitting of building envelopes in terms of changes in thermal comfort and heating energy consumption in a residential district in Milan. A monitoring campaign involved nine apartments located in three buildings that had undergone different levels of energy renovation, comparing indoor temperatures and energy consumption data.

The results showed that, following improvements in the thermal performance of the building envelope, overheating conditions and energy waste occurred as a result of inadequate radiator management by occupants. A building envelope performance index was also proposed, based on temperatures measured at the building boundary and in the vicinity of the heating terminal.

The findings highlight the need to combine building envelope insulation measures with effective control systems for heating terminals.