Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The role and the potential of home automation systems in implementing energy
efficiency are universally recognized since they cover an area that may be strategic
in reaching the objectives posed at European level about energy efficiency.
A recent analysis from Schneider Electric has evidenced that in Italy due to the
limited efficiency of the power transmission and distribution system, 1 kWh of
electrical energy saved in consumption, is equivalent to 3 kWh saved of generated
electrical energy. Besides, the use of low energy light bulbs into a room where
nobody stays is still a waste of energy that can be limited by using home auto-
mation systems. In Italy, in this regard, was recently developed a guide for
evaluating the effectiveness of the building automation systems (Italian Technical
Standard CEI 205-18
2011
).
Indeed, the greatest energy savings can be obtained when active (building
automation systems) and passive meausers (low energy light bulbs for example)
are used contextually.
Considering that buildings consume about 25 % of the total energy used in
various fields, it can be realized that in absolute terms the contribution of auto-
mation systems, can be decisive for Italy in the achievement of energy efficiency
targets by 2020.
The historical building heritage of Italy indeed in most cases would not allow
the utilization of invasive passive measures. In these cases, it would be advisable
to implement only active measures. The latter if implemented in the building, can
bring savings in thermal consumptions for heating and cooling up to 26 %.
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To do so, the government should put in place a system of incentives for these
technologies, allowing to make them accessible both to public and the private
users, so as to enable the market and making them cost-competitive.
There are many expectations in this regard, in Italy about the Italian transpo-
sition of the Directive 21/2012/UE, which could give them an organic position.
The change, however, should also cover the new Energy Performance Certificate
(EPC), which is mandatory in Italy since 2012 to be issued in the event of sale or
rental of a property and in cases of major building renovations (insisting on more
than 25 % of the surface building envelope), or for new buildings. The idea is to
make the EPC the identity document of the economic value of a property.
The system currently ruling the consumption calculations for such a certificate
(Italian Technical Standard UNI TS 11300-1
2008
; Italian Technical Standard UNI
TS 11300-2
2008
), is based only on a ''quasi-steady modelling'' of the building-
plant system and of surrounding environment, making, on the one hand, easier
consumption metering and the energy comparison between different buildings, but
on the other, ignoring almost completely the ability to recognize and make the best
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The Italian norm CEI 205-18, transposing the european norm EN 15232, is a practical guide to
the use of Building Automation technologies in buildings, clearing out how starting from a
building without automation measures for thermal and electrical plants (class D building acco-
rding to the EN 15232), it is possible to attain large energy savings by means of the installation of
automation functions. As an example the CEI norm states that it is possible to get a reduction of
thermal energy consumption of 26 % by installing class A automation systems.
