VIA FABIO FILZI OFFICES

This project represents an important example of an existing building renovation by applying the key concepts of energy efficiency and sustainability. Therefore, building services are designed to achieve significant optimizations in terms of energy consumption by adopting the following strategies:
- two energy raiser units capable of delivering simultaneously hot and chilled water by heat exchange with a geothermal renewable source (groundwater). This allows greater efficiency in any season of operation with low investment costs and with relevant energy cost savings compared to the traditional solutions.
- high efficiency heat recovery (both sensible and latent) on exhaust air is provided to preheat or precool fresh air by means of thermal wheel air-to-air recuperator.
- Chilled water supply to air handling units (AHU) and fan coil units are adapted to instantaneous thermal loads by means of Variable Speed Drives (VSD) as pump motors control, thus drastically reducing power consumption during operation.
- Groundwater guarantees fresh air pre-cooling in hot season.
- The toilet w.c. flushing is fed by a second non-potable network supplied by rainwater harvesting or, during dry periods, by groundwater (after heat exchange with energy raisers). Water efficiency is also increased by the use of low-flow sanitary fixtures like high efficiency dual flush toilet, aerators on mixing taps, electronic controls.
- Renewable Sources are represented by a geothermal source for HVAC system and a photovoltaic system on roof.
- Building Management System (BMS) has been installed that includes an automatic control of all building plants, space planning flexibility in case of office layout changes, an integrated control strategy for occupants thermal and bright comfort (including control of artificial lighting in coordination with natural light and motorized solar screens), safety and security systems integration, real-time monitoring of equipment status and efficiency, ensuring also a maintenance time scheduling and an energy consumption reports to allow continuous commissioning actions during all building life cycle (eg. load profiles analysis for energy optimization)
- Passive systems like existing windows replacement, insulating materials addition on walls and roof and adjustable sunscreens on glass facades has also been adopted to increase the efficiency of the building.