More efficiency, less emissions and, above all, less consumption. This is the objective of the green revolution which is affecting the public administrations and which aims towards the "Nearly Zero Energy Buildings”, or almost zero energy buildings. An objective of great importance, which would bring advantages on several fronts, especially in the long term, and which would guarantee substantial savings, compared with considerable initial costs, as well as the collateral benefit of creating new jobs.
The figure that has been allocated by the Government to make the PA more efficient from an energy point of view is 355 million euros in total for the period 2014-2020. The target, as envisaged by the European directive 2012/27 on energy efficiency, is to make at least the 3% per year of the usable area of the state's building stock.
The redevelopment interventions that can be financed, according to the decree, are: thermal insulation of opaque surfaces, replacement of transparent closures, installation of shielding and/or shading systems, replacement of winter air conditioning systems, installation of thermal solar collectors, thermoregulation systems and heat metering, replacement of electric water heaters with heat pump water heaters, upgrading of lighting systems. After the interventions it will be necessary to verify the energy performance achieved.
From 1 January 2019moreover, all public administration buildings will be obliged to comply with the new energy standard, which provides for very low consumption and the use of renewable sources. In detail, it will be necessary to guarantee greater thermal insulation of the building envelope and each building will have to comply with more stringent rules on heating systems: which must be designed and built in such a way as to guarantee compliance with the roof, through the use of energy produced by systems powered by renewable sources, of 50% of the expected consumption for domestic hot water, heating and cooling.
On the other hand, as regards the construction of new buildings, the aim would be to ensure that as large a percentage as possible is built in such a way as to comply with the most stringent energy criteria.
The numbers
In Italy the buildings of the Public Administration are over 13.000 and their annual consumption is estimated at 4,3 TWh of energy, for a total expenditure of 644 million euros. The 20% most energy-intensive produce a consumption of 1,2 TWh and an expenditure of 177 million euros. The interventions on the building envelope and on the systems would allow a reduction in consumption of about 40%, with a saving of 73 million euros. The required investment, according to ENEA estimates, amounts to 1.100 million euros (158 million euros/year). There is talk, therefore, of a much higher figure than that actually allocated by the government, for an operation which, again according to the Agency, could create 3.500 new jobs and reduce CO2 by 130.000 tonnes.
Remaining only on the buildings of the central PA (offices, barracks, prisons and PS) the number is close to 3000 properties. Half of total consumption, equal to 1,1 billion kWh, is attributable to natural gas, while just over a third to electricity. Heating alone covers over 730 million kWh.
The total area of these buildings is approximately 14 million m2 e the quota to be renovated each year is over 2,5 million m2, which corresponds to an overall energy consumption slightly above 400 GWh/y. An estimate of the results achievable in 2016 leads to an overall annual saving of around 50 GWh/a and around 109 GWh/a in 2020. To redevelop an area of 450.000 m2 a year.
From this point of view, therefore, the picture seems quite clear. The path of the Public Administration towards greater energy efficiency still seems long, even if it has started and is aiming at the 3% target set by European legislation. The current funding allocated by the Government, however, seems insufficient to obtain, in the long term, greater savings and a consistent and lasting reduction of emissions.
