A bottom-up method for evaluating the whole energy demand of large residential building stocks: an application to a regional scale

In this paper a method is described, originally conceived during the compilation of the Energy and Environmental Regional Plan of Sicily, aimed to: a) set up a lay-out model of an overall regional residential estate into a certain number of different building and heating system types; b) calculate the energy needs of every single type according to the procedures established by the national and European regulations; The method is particularly designed to evaluate the possible energy savings from the implementation of different interventions concerning the envelope and the HVAC systems to the various building types. The method, although based on several assumptions, shows to be reliable enough and is also characterized by a simple structure easily adoptable by planners and technicians in their attempt to lead regional energy policies toward more sustainable paths. The method has been validated against the aggregate value of the real energy demand deriving from the regional energy balance.