Appraisal of energy saving in green buildings, supported by BIM new platforms

Climate change is the most lethal crises facing Humanity. The majority (99%) of scientists agree that climate change is caused by humans. According to empirical evidence this ecological tragedy is rooted primarily in world-wide enormous fossil energy production and consumption. The civil sector, including settlements, is the world’s “largest fossil energy consumer and polluter”. Green building is the only way to ensure sustainable development and to overcome climate change by decarbonizing the constructions. The aim of the research is to test a strategic solution, applied to the civil sector, valuated through new assessment tools including the novel BIM in updated platforms. Some significant Building Energy Performance Simulation Programs (BEPSPs) are comparatively tested in a Case Study experimented in the simplest Prototype Building. One goal of the present research is to valuate if the ecological coat produces a saving of up to at least 40% of energy consumption in the building in the short-medium terms i. e. by 2030 as required in the EU Directive 2018/844 and if it is economically feasible. The passivation of brown common inefficient Prototype Building is implemented using bio ecological panels made from natural materials. By simply using a six or ten centimeters thick panel coat, the energy saving for heating is around 71% or 82%, way above the set objective of 40% by 2030 as required in the EU Directive 2018/844. The building global energy saving is always more than 55%. The research achieved the general objective and the specific goal set, obtaining the empirical evidence of the extraordinary impacts/benefits produced by insulation using extremely small panels/boards made from local natural cork in a local circular economy structure. Since the economic and financial impacts are of great relevance for the feasibility of the Strategy “Green Building” Strategy, a financial estimate has been developed. It immediately also highlighted the economic profitability, pecuniary convenience and financial feasibility convenience of the Sustainable Scenario. Research appraised a favorable monetary Pay Back\recovery (within only five years from the ecological intervention) of the differential additional upfront cost due to passivation additional works. There is a gap in the real world and a strong request in the research world (Hopkins, 2016) of appraisal concerning financial feasibility of the “Green Building” Strategy. The presented research aims to contribute to answer these demands of economic valuation.