Mediterranean Buildings Refurbishment: Thermal Mass and Natural Ventilation Simulated Control

This paper aims to analyse the state of the art of energy performance simulated control in existing buildings refurbishment. It focuses on the contribution of thermal mass and natural ventilation as strategies aimed at improving passive buildings’ performance in Mediterranean climates represented by three locations, Rome, Neaples and Messina. As for single sided and cross ventilation combined with two different massive typologies, simulation results show an average discomfort hours and energy consumption reductions of respectively 82% and 68 % in Rome and Neaples, 45% and 28% in Messina, where those strategies are less effective due to lesser thermal daily range.