University energy planning for reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions: The case study of a university campus in Italy

Reduction of energy consumption in educational buildings, and primarily in University buildings, is nowadays a relevant issue. The evaluation of the energy performance of these buildings is complex due to the variability in their construction age and their intermittent and wide variety of uses. In addition, these buildings are often characterized by a scarce availability of energy end use data, which makes challenging to benchmark energy performance and to inform energy policy decisions. To tackle this problem, this paper explores the use of simple indicators linking low-frequency available energy consumption data to variables measuring building characteristics and weather conditions. The use of such indicators is accompanied by detailed ad-hoc energy audits, including activities in the area of building management systems and dynamic energy simulation. The case study chosen is the Italian University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, which recently developed a Sustainability Plan targeting reductions in GHG emissions to 2020 and identified a framework for investment over the next 5 years to meet University targets. The results of the study shows that simple performance indicators can provide a first insight into the buildings energy performance and identify critical buildings that require detailed analysis. The results of the energy audits support the decision of actions to reduce heating and cooling energy consumption while maintaining acceptable thermal comfort for occupants.