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This paper describes the results of experimental tests and computer simulation modelling aimed at evaluating the performance of an electrochromic (EC) window with respect to solar radiation control and the relative impact on the energy consumption of buildings of the residential type for two typical Italian climates. The research is carried out by a test-cell equipped with a small area EC double glazing unit and by a simulation program of buildings’ energy behaviour in transient regime. The experimental results show that EC devices which modulate solar radiation mainly by absorption, like the one investigated in this paper, generate secondary solar heat gains which entails a 20% decrease of the maximum potential energy flux reduction. Also, this effect could rise the temperature of the internal glass pane of the glazing to levels for which risk of thermal discomfort for the occupants may occur. The computer simulation modelling involves a residential building unoccupied during a large fraction of daytime in weekdays. The savings potential of the investigated EC window are calculated relative to a conventional clear float double glazing unit. Results show that the EC glazing may lead to a considerable decrease of the cooling energy demand (and of the total building energy consumption) in cooling dominated climates. The energy saving benefits become less marked in heating dominated climates and, for low values of the window-to-wall ratio, can be overcame by the increase in lighting and heating energy requirements that results in an increase of the total building energy demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic conditions strongly affect the energy performance of buildings, and due to the synergy between global climate change and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, the climatic conditions inside and outside the city are highly different. However, weather data collected at airports are commonly used for building energy simulations and these data do not take into account real temperature distribution in cities. Many studies in the literature address the topic but mostly considering only a couple of urban and non-urban stations. In this paper, the urban climate in Rome, Italy, is analysed after monitoring of the air temperature and relative humidity in four selected neighbourhoods and one reference station from October 2014 until September 2017. Rome is characterised by a composite urban pattern and high variability of building types, of which the four selected areas are representative. The heating degree days decrease up to 18% and cooling degree days increase up to 157% in the urban area with respect to the rural reference and the area most affected by the UHI is the city centre. The UHI is more intense in summer than in winter (average increase between 0.7 °C and 1 °C); while the diurnal and nocturnal UHI depends on the season and the neighbourhood. Then, the energy performance of a representative apartment block and a typical office building was computed using the measured data. Regarding the predicted energy performance, comparing the four urban sites and the reference site, the UHI causes a reduction of heating consumption up to 21% in residential building and 18% in the office building. An increase of cooling consumption up to 74% is instead computed for the residential building and up to 53% for the office building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]