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ITA Energy efficiency in schools: aspects, interventions, and practical rules
Energy efficiency in school buildings represents one of the most urgent and strategic challenges for the public system and real estate assets. In Italy, a large number of schools were built before the 1980s, an era lacking strict regulations on thermal insulation and system efficiency. Intervening in these structures does not only mean reducing greenhouse gas emissions and cutting management costs for Municipalities and Provinces, but it also leads to a direct improvement in the biological, acoustic, and visual comfort of students and teaching staff, optimizing learning and daily well-being.
Key aspects of the school energy transition
Addressing the efficiency of a school requires a multidisciplinary approach that takes into account three fundamental macro-aspects:
- The structural and architectural aspect: Most schools suffer from high thermal dissipation due to uninsulated building envelopes, thermal bridges, and obsolete windows and doors that cause drafts and massive waste of heat during the winter.
- The system and technological aspect: Heating systems are often centralized, lacking advanced adjustments for individual zones or classrooms, and based on traditional fossil fuels. Artificial lighting, essential for educational activities, is also frequently reliant on old, high-consumption fluorescent lamps.
- The educational and behavioral aspect: The school has an intrinsic social function. Technological interventions lose effectiveness if they are not accompanied by raising awareness among users (students, teachers, staff) towards a conscious use of resources.
Priority energy interventions
Efficiency interventions are divided into interventions on the envelope (passive), interventions on systems (active), and the adoption of digital control systems.
1. Passive interventions on the building envelope
The goal is to insulate the building to minimize thermal requirements in both winter and summer.
- External thermal insulation: Applying insulating panels on external or internal walls eliminates thermal bridges and stabilizes the internal temperature.
- Replacement of windows and doors: Installing modern thermal-break fixtures with double or triple low-emissivity glass eliminates drafts and significantly improves acoustic insulation from outside streets.
- Insulation of roofs and coverings: School roofs, which are often flat and very large, are areas of enormous heat loss. Insulating them keeps the heat in and creates the ideal base for energy self-production.
2. Active and technological interventions on systems
Once heat loss is limited, it is necessary to modernize energy production and delivery.
- Heat pumps and hybrid systems: Replacing old gas or oil boilers with high-efficiency electric heat pumps or cogeneration systems allows the utilization of renewable sources.
- Controlled Mechanical Ventilation (CMV) systems: Fundamental in crowded classrooms to ensure continuous air exchange without having to throw the windows wide open in the middle of winter, thus avoiding thermal shocks and energy waste. Modern CMV systems integrate heat recovery units that preheat incoming air using the energy of the outgoing air.
- LED Relamping and Smart Lighting: Replacing lighting fixtures with LED technology reduces electricity consumption by over 50%. The integration of presence and natural brightness sensors allows dimming lights in classrooms based on the sunlight entering through windows.
3. Self-production and Energy Communities
Schools, due to their shape and predominantly daytime usage hours, are ideal candidates for the installation of photovoltaic systems. The energy produced during lesson hours is consumed instantly. Furthermore, the school can become the core of a Renewable Energy Community (REC), sharing excess energy produced during the summer months (when the school is closed) with the neighborhood or other nearby public structures.
Practical rules for conscious daily management
In addition to major infrastructure investments, there are practical rules and daily behaviors at zero cost that can cut consumption by up to 10-15%:
- Avoid covering radiators: Keep radiators free from curtains, furniture, or covers to allow the proper circulation of warm air.
- Differentiated temperature regulation: Set different temperatures according to the room's function (e.g., 20°C in classrooms, but 17-18°C in corridors and gyms where physical activity takes place).
- Smart management of shutters: Take advantage of free solar gain by keeping shutters up during winter daylight hours and lowering them completely at the end of classes to create an additional insulating layer during the night.
In conclusion, transforming schools into efficient and sustainable buildings is not only an economic benefit for administrations, but it represents an open-air educational laboratory, where new generations can learn the importance of environmental protection by experiencing it daily within their own growth spaces.
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