Life cycle cost analysis of greening detached houses in Italy

The addressed issue in this study aims to highlight how the housing sector is a major factor that can influence the national energy balance, passing through the measurement of the real benefits that a building with low environmental impact can give. The starting point of the analysis is the definition of “green building” standards and criteria taken into account in determining the building efficiency. The analysis considers only the performance from the energy point of view and relative cost identifying various steps arising from the application of different used in Italy certification protocols. Therefore, we will try to provide the cost analysis of the life cycle, where the main difficulties lie in the quantification of the actual costs of more green building. The two energy certification simulation (new and renovation) have the objective to determine the costs and benefits of interventions that aim to improve fuel economy and living comfort. The case studies differ substantially, considering the energy-saving renovation of a detached house built in the ’70s and the new detached house construction. In either case, we will identify and quantify the processes to obtain various energy performance (determined by three different protocols), going to highlight the differences both in terms of costs of such services in order to determine if the intervention can be considered economically viable.