Energy efficiency improvements in italian historical buildings: The case study of Ascoli Piceno

Abstract

Evaluating the energy efficiency of historical buildings is an important theme nowadays, with European directives that fix a strong reduction in energy use and impose an increase in the amount of energy produced by renewable sources. Within restoration and other related disciplines, it is therefore necessary that a specific method of investigation for historical buildings be developed. The methodological approach of energy efficiency in historical buildings, from the building scale to the urban scale, must account for the particular characteristics of historical buildings. Each operation should be carefully examined in each case and defined within a grid of possible interventions that can combine conservation and innovation. Public administrations have also recently addressed these themes to evaluate medium and long-term strategies useful in more effectively managing the heritage. These objectives form the basis for recent research involving the city of Ascoli Piceno. The aim is to provide the entities that manage the cultural heritage with criteria and methods to completely and critically assess historical buildings while also duly considering aspects related to their energy performance.