The energy sustainability of Palazzo Italia at EXPO 2015:

analysis of an nZEB building

Livio de Santoli, Francesco Mancini, Stefano Rossetti
Sapienza Università di Roma

Introduction
The Italian Pavilion aims to be an element of representative innovation within the EXPO 2015 area (1.1
million m2); it will be an a nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB), whose energy needs will be met in large part
from renewable sources, geothermal (ground water) heat pumps and photovoltaic, and - thanks to careful
design of the building - a very efficient building system will be implemented. The aim is to provide an
authoritative case study on Italian territory by the public administration, in view of the definition of an Action
Plan for the transition towards nZEBs.
In this work, we want to focus on the energy performance of the building, pointing to some features of the
building, highlighting some critical issues related to existing legislation, and providing suggestions for the
improvement of legislation in the field of the energy efficiency of buildings, which is constantly evolving in
Italy and in Europe. The work describes advanced solutions in the final design in terms of energy and
environmental sustainability.

The Italian Pavilion

The project for the Italian Pavilion, winner of the international competition promoted by Expo 2015 in April
2013, calls for the construction of Palazzo Italia, a building of approximately 12,000 m 2 earmarked for an
exhibition area, institutional offices, auditoriums and meeting rooms, and the four Cardo buildings, for
another 8,000 m2 of useable surface area for exhibition space and related services. The design team
consists of Nemesi & Partners for architectural design, Proger with BMS Progetti for technical coordination
and structural and plant design, and Livio de Santoli for energy sustainability.
Overall, Palazzo Italia along with the Cardo structures is the Italy site at Expo 2015 in Milan, occupying one
of the two main axes on which the general Master Plan for the area is structured.
Palazzo Italia will be the symbolic heart of the entire project, and will remain even after Expo 2015 is over,
having been identified as one of the permanent buildings of the area.
The iconic theme of Palazzo Italia is the tree of life: This was the tree that, according to many religious
traditions, was placed in the Garden of Eden, along with the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It represents
the relationship between the roots and the thrust upwards.
The energy system of the building, which is set on this iconic element, is made up of three main parts that
interact with each other:
1. the foliage, represented by the photovoltaic system in its function of capturing of solar energy;
2. the bark, represented by sunscreens and the walls of the outer casing;
3. the roots, represented by the groundwater source heat pump plant.

Figure 1 - Rendering of the Italian Pavilion (Nemesi & Partners)

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Within the building there is a bioclimatic courtyard that allows the building to breathe by means of an air lung
which, in both winter and summer, will maintain better conditions of temperature and humidity than the
outside air and will function through intakes for air from outside and outlets for air conditioning units.
The design of the Italian Pavilion has been geared towards achieving high performance standards in terms of
energy and environment.
Particular attention has been devoted to reducing the energy consumption of the building, orienting the
design in three key directions:
 exaltation of the passive behaviour of the building casing;
 use of plant systems with high efficiency;
 use of equipment for the exploitation of renewable thermal energy (geothermal) and photovoltaic
systems for the production of electricity from solar sources.
The objective is to minimise the withdrawal of energy from external networks, by configuring the structure as
an nZEB (nearly Zero Energy Building) [1-7] in line with the provisions of the European EPBD Directive
2010/31/UE and with class A+, under the certification system in force in the Region Lombardia where Milano
is located.

Physical and technical characteristics of the building envelope

Particular attention has been paid to the passive behaviour of the building casing in order to reduce the
energy needs for winter heating and summer cooling. The opaque walls forming the building casing have
very low thermal transmittance values (0.167 ÷ 0.227 W/m 2K) and high values of phase displacement (> 11.5
hours). In fact, the passive behaviour of the building is characterised not only by the value of the thermal
transmittance, but also by the factor of attenuation and phase displacement.
A green roof will be constructed on the covering of the building will be built a green roof, with the aim of
reducing energy consumption and limiting peak loads in the summer.
A innovative storage system included in the design proposal at the first stage of the program is that uses
hydrogen as storage element which, derived by electrolises process coupled with PV arrays, can be burned
directly in a combustor dedicated to the heating of the square. The use of a building as storage element is
one of the main issue for a future of construction sector, and in particular the use of hydrogen as energy
vector is often suggested from the scientific community, [8], [9], [10], [11].
In terms of the transparent portion of the building envelope, fixtures with transmittance of less than 1.3
W/m2K have been chosen. The effectiveness of the screening systems will be such as to reduce the
maximum solar radiation on the transparent surfaces by 70%; for the walls of the casing without screening
systems, windows with direct solar energy transmittance not exceeding 0.30 will be used.
The vertical outer walls will be made of a reinforced concrete structure externally covered with a panel in the
form of mesh or lattice, which offers a double skin, filtering solar radiation and light and at the same time
helping to regulate climatic variations. The percentage of perforation in the lower part (ground floor,
mezzanine, first floors) is about 20%; from the second to the fourth level instead the percentage of holes
varies from 40% up to, in the highest parts, to 70%.
In this way, in addition to an architectural function, the building acquires a complete technical role as thermal
insulation, sun protection or mechanical protection against weathering.
A differentiation was made among the walls forming the building casing, depending on exposure, also
because of the different functions and locations of interior areas.
The facades with NE and SE exposure will be largely transparent, in order to allow solar radiation to
penetrate and permit the natural lighting of interiors. The double skin play a key role in containment of winter
and summer energy needs, allowing solar radiation to enter in winter and blocking it in summer.
The facades with NW and SW exposure are mostly opaque, because daytime lighting is not necessary for
their use. Also in this case, the skin will nevertheless have a double role of containment of energy needs, in
the same manner but to a lesser extent.
The form of the building includes a large open interior space (the square), with a glass skylight acting as an
upper closure. This will permit, on the one hand, maximum use of space and an improvement in
environmental comfort for visitors to the open space and, on the other, a reduction in the building’s energy
needs in winter and summer. The skylight will allow the entry of natural light and transform the space inside
into an accumulator of energy in winter. For correct functioning in summer, particular openings are envisaged
for the circulation of air and removal of accumulated heat.
2
Useful energy needs of Palazzo Italia
On the basis of the geometrical and physical-technical characteristics of the building, useful energy needs for
winter and summer were calculated. The result of the conventional evaluation is a much higher need of
useful energy by the building in summer than in winter (the needs of useful energy in summer are 21.3
kWh/m3, compared with 4.2 kWh/m3 in winter).

climat.
climat. estiva invernale
84% 16%

Figure 2 - Breakdown by uses of useful energy needs

In relation to the figure 2, it is worth noting a first critical issue in current Italian legislation, which provides for
two different definitions for the duration of the heating season and the cooling season, altering the outcome
of the calculations.
The length of the heating season in Italy is defined by Law and, for the location in question (Milano) this
begins on October 15 and ends on April 15.
The length of the cooling season depends on the climatic conditions of the location and the characteristics of
the building, and can be calculated using the following inequality (UNI/TS11300-1, Energy Performance of
Buildings, part 1 – Determination of themal energy need of the building).
Q gn ,day
θ e ,day ≥ θi , set , C−
H ∙ t day
where:
 θe,day is the average daily external temperature;
 θi,set,C is the internal temperature of adjustment for cooling;
 Qgn,day are the average daily internal and solar and internal supplies;
 H is the overall heat transfer coefficient of the building, in W/K, determined according to UNI/TS
11300-1, equal to the sum of the overall heat transfer coefficients for transmission and
ventilation, adjusted to take into account the difference in internal-external temperature;
 tday is the length of the day.

This may involve (as it does in this case) an illogical superposition of the two periods towards the functioning
of the plants, as represented in the following figure 3.

3
 250,000

200,000

150,000
[kWh]

100,000

50,000

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Figure 3 - Useful energy need of the building for winter and summer conditioning

The fact that there are periods in which there is a simultaneous need for heating and cooling is the result of
an ineffective legislative interpretation, given that the standard evaluation is carried out over 24 hours of
operation. In more immediate terms, an energy need for heating corresponds to situations in which the
internal temperature of the building is less than 20 °C, while a useful energy need for cooling corresponds to
situations in which the internal temperature of the building is higher than 26 °C. It is clearly impossible for
situations to exist in which the internal temperature is both lower than 20 °C and higher than 26 °C, given
that the calculations are developed for the entire building, using the same geometric data, the same physical
and technical data, and the same climatic data (UNI 10349, Heating and cooling for buildings – Climate
data).
It is for this reason, substantiated by common experience and also by studies carried out by the authors
[12] , [13] that we consider it more appropriate to use a different definition of the cooling season, which
considers only the months in which cooling is actually required, and includes the months complementary to
the heating season in the calculation, considering a one-month interval between the two seasons in which
the building is functioning without either heating or cooling.
Following the methodology indicated, the needs of useful energy in the summer season total
14.4 kWh/m3, with one major difference compared with the previous definition (-32%). The figure 4 shows the
breakdown of the useful energy needs considering a cooling season that begins on May 15 and ends on
September 15, highlighting the decrease in the importance of summer air conditioning.

climat.
invernale
climat. estiva 23%
77%

Figure 4 - Breakdown by uses of useful energy needs

The chart above shows how modern architecture tends, in contrast with the past, to have low winter needs
and high summer needs: this is the direct result of many insulated building that withhold internal loads
(people, lighting, equipment), with positive effects in winter and negative effects in summer. This is obviously
more marked because of Italy’s climatic conditions which are characterised by non-negligible values for solar
radiation.

4
A better performance with respect to energy consumption for air conditioning in summer could be obtained
with greater protection from solar radiation; however, this would entail a worsening of performance, both from
the energy point of view, with an increase in consumption for the lighting of interiors, and from the point of
view of visual comfort.
This consideration highlights a second critical issue in current Italian legislation, which takes into account
only performance related to air conditioning and does not include energy consumption related to lighting, nor
does it consider the comfort of occupants.

High efficiency plant systems

To maximise the effectiveness of the proposed insulation interventions, it is necessary to install high
efficiency plant system in individual parts and in the whole which would allow high performance in all
operating conditions.
According the Italian Legislative Decree 28/2011 (which implements the Directive 2009/28/EC) "renewable
energy" is the energy from renewable non-fossil sources; namely wind, solar, aerothermal (energy stored in
the form of heat in the environment), geothermal (energy stored in the form of heat in the earth's crust),
hydrothermal (energy stored in the form of heat in surface water) and ocean, hydropower, biomass, landfill
gas, sewage treatment residue gas and biogas energy.
At the site where the building is situated, ground water is available as a heat source and is renewable under
the abovementioned decree. This orients the design of the central heating and cooling system towards the
use of water-water heat pumps in order to use the available ground water.
From the point of view of energy, this will provide very high average seasonal efficiencies; furthermore, the
absence of combustion systems (for heating or for the production of domestic hot water) will totally cancel
polluting emissions in situ. Obviously, the polluting emissions related to the use of electricity will remain in
electricity production sites, although these will be minimised through the efficiency of the system used.
A peculiarity of the plant system used is worth noting.
The primary energy need of the building is in part linked to the characteristics of the building and in part to
the characteristics of the national electricity system, because of the electricity drawn from the grid for the
operation of the heat pump. This means that any increase in the efficiency of the national electricity system
(through the introduction of plants powered by renewable sources or through the replacement of old plants)
will be reflected positively on the building, given that it uses only electrical energy, by reducing the need for
primary energy. The current energy classification must therefore be regarded as a starting point, with a trend
towards improvement.
In the light of the above, it is necessary that there be a periodic update (on an annual basis at maximum) of
the yield of national electrical systems, owing to the increasing diffusion of heat pump systems and the
exponential growth of plants powered by renewable sources in different electrical systems.
And this is a third critical issue of the Italian certification system, which is based on a yield value published in
March 2008 [13] defining the conversion factor of kWh in equivalent tonnes of oil and now appears to be
completely outdated.
On the basis of the needs of useful energy related to winter and summer, modifying the summer period as
explained above, primary energy needs were calculated, considering the yields of emission, regulation and
distribution subsystems, and the demand for electricity for the powering of ancillary services.
Wishing to focus on energy generation systems, the yield of the generation subsystem was initially set as
equal to 1.

5
 climat.
climat. estiva invernale
76% 24%

Figure 5 - Breakdown by uses of primary energy needs

The result of the calculations is shown in the figure 5. At parametric level, the primary energy need for winter
heating amounts to 5.7 kWh/m3, and for summer air conditioning 17.9 kWh/m3.
Through the use of groundwater as a heat source, it is possible to obtain high yields from the generation
subsystem which, for both winter and summer conditioning, are greater for the unit in terms of primary
energy. There is therefore a sharp decrease in the needs indicated above: the primary energy need for
winter heating is 2.3 kWh/m3, and that for summer air conditioning 9.8 kWh/m 3.
At this point, the evaluation of generation yield warrants consideration.
On the basis of before mentioned Legislative Decree 28/2011, renewable energy is the energy produced by
heat pumps "whose yield in terms of heat significantly exceeds the primary energy needed to drive it".
This produces a differentiation between the evaluation of winter performance and that of summer.  In both
cases, the yield is greater than one, and in both cases there was a significant decrease in primary energy
needs. The winter supply is considered renewable, while the summer supply is not. The same decree
indirectly excludes such supply from the count when it states that "the heat generated by passive energy
systems, through which lower energy consumption is achieved passively through building design" should be
excluded from the count and considered as savings, thus not considering active systems.

climat. estiva
Rinnovabile?
Risparmio?
34%
climat.
invernale
10%

climat.
invernale
rinnovabile
15%

climat. estiva
42%
Figure 6 - Breakdown by uses of primary energy needs

This then highlights a fourth critical issue, consisting of an incomplete and non-exhaustive definition capable
of correctly classifying all the energy supplies and, in particular, those of generation systems with higher
yields for the unit.

Production of electricity from photovoltaic sources

In addition to the geothermal source used by heat pumps, photovoltaic systems for the production of
electricity from a solar source are planned.

6
Through the use of a photovoltaic system integrated in the casing, as well as the virtuous adoption of devices
integrated into the structure (that is, with no land use), will minimise the withdrawal of energy from external
networks by configuring the structure as an NZEB (nearly Zero Energy Building) in line with the provisions of
the European directive and with class A+, under the current certification system..
In order to maximise the productivity of the PV system, simulations have been carried out in order to
evaluate the correct positioning of the panels to avoid shadowed areas or an area with low irradiation.
Based on the coverage surfaces available and the simulations performed, it was decided to equip the
building with a photovoltaic plant with a total capacity of 150 kWp, capable of producing 150,000 kWh of
electricity, equivalent to 326.100 kWh of primary energy.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Oct Nov Dec
0
-5
-10
-15
[kWh]

-20
-25
-30
-35
-40
-45
-50

Figure 7 - Equivalent in terms of primary energy of the electricity produced by the photovoltaic system

The figure 7 shows a negative sign for the equivalent in terms of primary energy for electricity produced by
the PV to represent the contribution of the system to reducing the energy needs indicated above.
The following table shows the use made of electricity (calculated in terms of primary energy) produced by the
photovoltaic system.

Primary energy for Equivalent in primary

Month Energy consumed Surplus
conditioning energy from PV
Jan 97,859 9,282 9,282 -
Feb 37,213 15,409 15,409 -
Mar 8,390 27,000 8,390 18,610
Apr 1,030 34,229 1,030 33,199
May 84,988 42,972 42,972 -
Jun 211,091 45,183 45,183 -
Jul 250,632 48,089 48,089 -
Aug 216,360 39,321 39,321 -
Sep 72,280 28,971 28,971 -
Oct 1,760 17,603 1,760 15,843
Nov 29,377 9,571 9,571 -
Dec 89,769 8,470 8,470 -
TOTALS 1,100,749 326,100 258,448 67,652

The left column of the table indicates that in some months the energy produced by the PV system is greater
than that required for air conditioning.
Here lies a fifth critical issue concerning the current legislation, which does not allocate the surplus to the
months in which there is a deficit. The very definition of surplus must be completed: it is evident that a
surplus is generated only when the local generation from renewable sources exceeds all energy uses of the
building, thus having included lighting and general electrical uses (appliances).
It is also necessary to consider that the management of nZEBs on a small scale (of building or of district, [3],
[7]) and on a large scale (regional or national) will become more important and difficult with the growth of the
share of non-programmable renewable energy. This aspect must also necessarily be further developed,

7
establishing connecting bonds to the territorial energy infrastructure which, in its simplest configuration, may
consist of an obligation (or a reward) in the case of installation of energy storage systems.
Having subtracted photovoltaic production, the primary energy need for winter conditioning is 1.3 kWh/m 3
and that for summer air conditioning 5.5 kWh/m 3. Given the volumes of the building, the surplus thus
identified would permit a further reduction of 1.4 kWh/m 3 in the primary energy needs of the building.

climat. estiva
rinnovabile fotov
18%

climat. invernale
5%

climat. estiva
Rinnovabile? climat. invernale
Risparmio? rinnovabile
34% 15%

climat. invernale
rinnovabile fotov
4%
climat. estiva
23%

Figure 8 - Breakdown by uses of primary energy needs

Conclusions
The energy analysis of the Italian Pavilion, designed for EXPO 2015 with the aim of constructing an NZEB,
was performed order to constitute an authoritative case study by the public administration on Italian territory,
in view of the definition of an Action Plan for the transition to nZEBs.

The energy analysis has made it possible to identify some critical issues concerning European and Italian
regulations that deserve further investigation or clarification:
 it is necessary to clarify in a single definition the limits for winter and summer, in order to avoid
overlap between the two seasons;
 it is important to consider that the passive protection offered by the casing has a much greater effect
in countries where the winter season is more important;
 it is necessary to include in the analysis of buildings all energy uses through a simplified evaluation;
in particular, it is very important to consider the energy needs for lighting, given that a reduction in
needs for summer air conditioning in some cases may entail an increase in needs for building
lighting;
 the definition of renewable energy does not appear complete; the interpretation to be given to the
contributions of all generation plant systems characterised by a higher yield for the unit is not clear; it
is also crucial the yield of national electrical systems be updated frequently;
 how to count any monthly surplus of energy production for the purposes of the energy performance
of the building is not well specified;
 there are no obligations or awards for the installation of energy storage systems.

8
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