Heating 2022 news coming soon: the government has signed the decree which sets new and more stringent limits for daily switching on, for the seasonal switching on period and lowers temperatures with the aim of saving on energy consumption. The decree was signed by the Minister of Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani who established the new time limits for the operation of thermal air conditioning systems fueled by natural gas and the reduction by one degree of the maximum values of the temperatures of the heated rooms, to be applied for the next winter season as foreseen by Natural gas consumption reduction plan. The goal is to save 2,7 billion cubic meters of gas.
Heating 2022, what the decree provides: period of operation
The ignition period of the systems is reduced by one hour a day and the period of operation of winter season 2022-2023 is shortened by 15 days, postponing the start date by 8 days and bringing forward the end date by 7.
How it works zone by zone
As usual, Italy is divided into 6 zones:
1) Zone A: 5 hours a day from 8 December to 7 March;
2) Zone B: 7 hours a day from 8 December to 23 March;
3) Zone C: 9 hours a day from 22 November to 23 March;
4) Zone D: 11 am daily from 8 November to 7 April;
5) Zone E: 13pm daily from 22 October to 7 April;
6) Zone F: no limitation.
Zone F is typically that of the Alps and mountain resorts. Zone A is the one where the climate is warmer: such as Lampedusa and Porto Empedocle in Sicily. They are located in zone B Agrigento, Reggio Calabria, Messina or Trapani; in zone C they are found Naples, Imperia, Taranto and Cagliari; in zone D we find Rome, Florence, Foggia, Ancona and Oristano; finally in zone E they are inserted Milan, Turin, Bologna, Aosta and L'Aquila.
What happens now with the new decree? In Rome, for example, the radiators can be turned on 8 days after the usual 1 November and they must be turned off 7 days before 15 April. So the ignition this year will be from November 8th to April 7th. The daily duration cannot exceed 11 hours.
Heating: does the decree provide for exceptions?
Yes, the decree provides for some specific exceptions. In the presence of "particularly severe climatic situations" the Municipalities with reasoned decision, can authorize the ignition of gas-powered heating systems even outside the periods indicated in the decree, provided that for a reduced daily duration.
Heating: the decree sets new limits for the temperature
The decree sets new limits for the heating temperature: the air temperature is reduced by one degree centigrade in homes. It therefore means that this winter it will drop from 20 to maximum 19 degrees in the homes; in buildings used for industrial, craft and similar activities it will instead have to go down to 17 degrees. To facilitate the application of the new provisions, Aeneas will publish a vade mecum with the essential indications for correctly setting the heating temperature that the condominium administrators will be able to make available to the condominiums.
Heating: to whom the reductions do not apply
The reductions for heating, provided for by the Mite decree, have some exemptions: in particular, they do not apply to hospitals and nursing homes, kindergartens, swimming pools and saunas as well as buildings for industrial or craft activities for which the municipal authorities have already granted derogations from the limits set for the air temperature. Furthermore, they do not apply to buildings equipped with systems powered mainly by renewable energies.
To compare with last year, read: Heating 2021, when does it turn on? From Milan to Rome, here are the dates
