In Italy, when building a new school, there are no regulatory or cultural references that consider recent regulations on energy savings and emissions reduction, key environmental considerations that have received increasing notice in society and new teaching methods needs to address these environmental concerns, especially as related to the built environment. The main goal of this paper is to outline qualitative and quantitative guidelines for building low-carbon kindergartens in Italy. These guidelines will define a new building type for schools while also evaluating energy and environmental performance to create a structured and interdisciplinary support tool that can be used by designers during the preliminary phase of the design process. The method starts from the detailed analysis of representative sustainable buildings to define new typological models, then several energy and environmental analyses follow to evaluate the new building type performance, and finally the guidelines are detailed following the environmental and technological system.

Al-Rashidi,
Khaled,
Loveday
Dennis,
and
Al-Mutawa
Nawaf.
2012
.
“Impact of Ventilation Modes on Carbon Dioxide Concentration Levels in Kuwait Classrooms.”
Energy and Buildings
47
:
540
49
.
Arie,
Gottfried.
2006
.
Quaderni Del Manuale Di Progettazione Edilizia. L’edilizia Scolastica, Universitaria e per La Rcerca
.
Edited by
HOEPLI
.
Ashrafian,
Touraj,
and
Moazzen
Nazanin.
2019
.
“The Impact of Glazing Ratio and Window Configuration on Occupants’ Comfort and Energy Demand: The Case Study of a School Building in Eskisehir, Turkey.”
Sustainable Cities and Society
47
(
January
):
101483
.
Attia,
Shady,
Shadmanfar
Niloufar,
and
Ricci
Federico.
2020
.
“Developing Two Benchmark Models for Nearly Zero Energy Schools.”
Applied Energy
263
(
November
2019
):
114614
.
Baglione,
Chiara.
2006
.
“Pedagogia Dello Spazio.”
Casabella
LXXI
(
750–751
):
56
60
.
Barbosa,
F C,
P De Freitas
V,
and
Almeida
M.
2020
.
“School Building Experimental Characterization in Mediterranean Climate Regarding Comfort, Indoor Air Quality and Energy Consumption.”
Energy & Buildings
212
:
109782
.
Bazzocchi,
Frida,
Ciacci
Cecilia,
and
Di Naso
Vincenzo.
2020
.
“Study on Solar Shading Systems for Designing NZEB Kindergartens in Italy.”
TeMA
6
(
1
):
77
88
.
Bluyssen,
Philomena M.,
Zhang
Dadi,
Kurvers
Stanley,
Overtoom
Marjolein,
and
Ortiz-Sanchez
Marco.
2018
.
“Self-Reported Health and Comfort of School Children in 54 Classrooms of 21 Dutch School Buildings.”
Building and Environment
138
(
March
):
106
123
.
Burke,
Catherine.
2005
.
“‘The School without Tears’: E. F. O’Neill of Prestolee.”
History of Education
34
(
3
):
263
75
.
Carlos,
Jorge S.
2018
.
“Optimal Window Geometry Factors for Elementary School Buildings in Portugal.”
Journal of Green Building
13
(
1
):
185
98
.
Ciacci,
Cecilia,
Bazzocchi
Frida,
and
Di Naso
Vincenzo.
2020
.
“External Wall Technological Solutions for Carbon Zero Schools in Italy.”
In
INNOVATIONS—SUSTAINABILITY—MODERNITY—OPENNESS ENERGY
, edited by
Dorota
Anna Krawczyk,
Skoczo
Iwona,
and
Szatylowicz
Ewa,
Volume 40
,
45
64
.
Byalistock
:
Printing House of Bialystok University of Technology
.
Ciacci,
Cecilia,
Bazzocchi
Frida,
Di Naso
Vincenzo,
and
Rocchetti
Andrea.
2019
.
“Influence of Window-Wall Ratio on Global Energy Consumption of Nzeb Kindergartens in Italy.”
In
Proceedings of Building Simulation 2019: 16th IBPSA International Conferenze and Exhibition
, edited by
Patuzzi Curatore/i degli atti
F.:
Corrado
V.,
Fabrizio
E.,
Gasparella
A.,
3063
70
.
Rome
:
International Building Simulation Association
.
https://doi.org/ ISSN: 978-1-7750520-1-2.
Ciacci,
Cecilia,
Bazzocchi
Frida,
Di Naso
Vincenzo,
and
Rocchetti
Andrea.
2020
.
“NZEB Schols in Italy: Definition and Optimization of Sysem Using Photovoltaic Technology.”
In
Proceedings of REHABEND 2020—Construction pathology, rehabilitation tecnology and heritage managment
,
1705
1713
.
Granada
:
Circulo Rojo
.
ISBN: 978-84-09-17873-5; 978-84-09-17871-1
Coley,
David A,
Greeves
Rupert,
and
Saxby
Brian K.
2007
.
“The Effect of Low Ventilation Rates on the Cognitive Function of a Primary School Class.”
International Journal of Ventilation
6
(
2
):
107
12
.
Commissione Europea.
2014
.
2030 Climate & Energy Framework
.
Commissione Europea.
2018
.
2050 Long-Trm Strategy
.
d’Ambrosio
Alfano,
Romana
Francesca,
Iannello
Elvira,
and
Palella
Boris Igor.
2013
.
“PMV-PPD and Accettability in Naturally Ventilated Schools.”
Building and Environment
67
:
129
37
.
Dijken,
F. V.,
V
J.
Bronswijk
.,
and
Sundell
J..
2005
.
“Indoor environment in dutch primary schools and health of the pupils.”
Indoor Air
15
(
11
),
623
27
.
Doulos,
L. T.,
Kontadakis
A.,
Madias
E. N.,
Sinou
M.,
and
Tsangrassoulis
A..
2019
.
“Minimizing Energy Consumption for Artificial Lighting in a Typical Classroom of a Hellenic Public School Aiming for near Zero Energy Building Using LED DC Luminaires and Daylight Harvesting Systems.”
Energy and Buildings
.
European Committee for Standardization.
2007
.
Thermal Performance of Building Components—Dynamic Thermal Characteristics—Calculation Methods
.
Federal Institute for research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Department.
n.d
.
“ELCA.”
Fisk,
William J.
2017
.
“The Ventilation Problem in Schools: Literature Review.”
Indoor Air Journal
27
(
6
).
Governo Italiano.
1975
.
Norme Tecniche Aggiornate Relative All’edilizia Scolastica, Ivi Compresi Gli Indici Di Funzionalità Didattica, Edilizia Ed Urbanistica, Da Osservarsi Nella Esecuzione Di Opere Di Edilizia Scolastica
.
Italia
.
Governo Italiano.
2015
.
Decreto Ministeriale 26 Giugno 2015. Applicazione Delle Metodologie Di Calcolo Delle Prestazioni Energetiche e Definizione Delle Prescrizioni e Dei Requisiti Minimi Degli Edifici
.
Italia
.
Gulay,
Burcu.
2015
.
“‘Sustainability’ Education by Sustainable School Design.”
Procedia—Social and Behavioral Sciences
186
:
868
73
.
Hall,
Kathy
et al
2014
.
Loris Malaguzzi and the Reggio Emilia Experience
. Edited by
Richard
Bailey.
London
:
Bloomsbury library of Educational Thought
.
Khan,
Jibran,
and
Arsalan
Mudassar H.
2016
.
“Solar Power Technologies for Sustainable Electricity Generation—A Review.”
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
55
:
414
25
.
Li,
Xianli,
Zheng
Shaojuan,
Tian
Gang,
Zhang
Lian,
and
Yao
Wanxiang.
2020
.
“A New Energy Saving Ventilation System Assisted by Transpired Solar Air Collectors for Primary and Secondary School Classrooms in Winter.”
Building and Environment
177
(
January
):
106895
.
Lizana,
Jesus,
Serrano-Jimenez
Antonio,
Ortiz
Carlos,
Becerra
Jose A,
and
Chacartegui
Ricardo.
2018
.
“Energy Assessment Method towards Low-Carbon Energy Schools.”
Energy
159
:
310
26
.
Lourenço,
Patrícia,
Pinheiro
Manuel Duarte,
and
Heitor
Teresa.
2019
.
“Light Use Patterns in Portuguese School Buildings: User Comfort Perception, Behaviour and Impacts on Energy Consumption.”
Journal of Cleaner Production
228
:
990
1000
.
Mendell,
Mark J.,
and
Heath
Garvin A.
2005
.
“Do Indoor Pollutants and Thermal Conditions in Schools Influence Student Performance? A Critical Review of the Literature.”
Indoor Air Journal
15
:
27
32
.
MIUR.
2013
.
Norme Tecniche Quadro, Contenenti Gli Indici Minimi e Massimi Di Funzionalità Utbanistica, Edilizia, Anche Con Riferimento Alle Tecnologie in Maeria Di Effcienza e Risparmio Energetico e Produzione Da Fonti Energetice Rinnovabili, e Didattica Indisensabil
.
Italia
.
Montessori,
Maria.
2004
.
The Montessori Method
. Edited by
Gerald
Lee Gutek.
New York
:
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
.
Montessori,
Maria.
2008
.
Educare Alla Libertà
. Edited by
Mondadori
.
Oscar saggezze
.
Parlamento Europeo.
2018
.
Direttiva (UE) 2018/844
.
Sadat,
Zahra,
Tahsildoost
Mohammad,
and
Hafezi
Mohammadreza.
2016
.
“Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings : A Review Article.”
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
59
:
895
906
.
Simanic,
Branko,
Nordquist
Birgitta,
Bagge
Hans,
and
Johansson
Dennis.
2019
.
“Indoor Air Temperatures, CO2 Concentrations and Ventilation Rates: Long-Term Measurements in Newly Built Low-Energy Schools in Sweden.”
Journal of Building Engineering
25
(
June
):
100827
.
Simanic,
Branko,
Nordquist
Birgitta,
Bagge
Hans,
and
Johansson
Dennis.
2020
.
“Predicted and Measured User-Related Energy Usage in Newly Built Low-Energy Schools in Sweden.”
Journal of Building Engineering
29
(
June
):
101142
.
Smidt,
Sandra.
2013
.
Introducing Malaguzzi: Explorin the Life and Work of Reggio Emilia’s Founfing Father
.
London
:
Routledge
.
Sole,
Maurizio.
1995
.
Manuale Di Edilizia Scolastica
. Edited by
Carrocci
.
La Nuova Italia Scientifica
.
Stabile,
Luca,
Dell’Isola
Marco,
Russi
Aldo,
Massimo
Angelamaria,
and
Buonanno
Giorgio.
2017
.
“The Effect of Natural Ventilation Strategy on Indoor Air Quality in Schools.”
Science of The Total Environment
595
:
894
902
.
Stabile,
Luca,
Frattolillo
Andrea,
Dell
Marco,
and
Massimo
Angelamaria.
2015
.
“Air Permeability of Naturally Ventilated Italian Classrooms.”
Energy Procedia
78
:
3150
55
.
Wang,
Yang,
Du
Jiangtao,
Kuckelkorn
Jens M,
Kirschbaum
Alexander,
and
Gu
Xin.
2019
.
“Identifying the Feasibility of Establishing a Passive House School in Central Europe: An Energy Performance and Carbon Emissions Monitoring Study in Germany.”
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
113
(
July
):
109256
.
Wargocki,
Pawel,
and
David Wyon
P..
2006
.
“Effects of HVAC On Student Performance.”
Wargocki,
Pawel,
and
David Wyon
P..
2007
.
“The Effects of Classroom Air Temperature and Outdoor Air Supply Rate on Performance of School Work by Children The Effects of Outdoor Air Supply Rate.”
HVAC & Reseacrh
13
(
January
):
165
91
.
Zeiler,
Wim.
20007
.
“Ventilation of Dutch Schools; an Integral Approach to Improve Design Ventilation of Dutch Schools ; an Integral Approach to Improve Design.”
In:
Proceedings of Clima 2007 WellBeing Indoors
..
Zomorodian,
Zahra Sadat,
and
Tahsildoost
Mohammad.
2017
.
“Assessment of Window Performance in Classrooms by Long Term Spatial Comfort Metrics.”
Energy and Buildings
134
:
80
93
.
This content is only available as a PDF.

Author notes

1. Full Professor, ICAR/10, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, S. Marta St., 3 50139 Florence, Italy, 0552758861, [email protected]

2. Engineer, Research grant ICAR/10, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, S. Marta St., 3 50139 Florence, Italy, [email protected]

3. Associate Professor, ICAR/10, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, S. Marta St., 3 50139 Florence, Italy, 0552758862, [email protected]