Arianna Latini

Ventilated Permeable Roofs (VPR) are an effective passive cooling strategy for reducing summer heat gains and cooling energy demand improving indoor thermal comfort. However, their performance is difficult to quantify due to the irregular geometry of tiles and the complexity of the underlying physical processes, which hinder the direct measurement of key aerodynamic parameters such as effective opening area (A) and discharge coefficient (C _d ). To address this limitation, the present research activity involves a multi-step methodological approach combining tile experimental characterisation, machine learning, energy simulations and real roofs data. A standardised test method developed within the LIFE SUPERHERO project was used to characterise tile air permeability, while a Gradient Boosting Machine model was trained on reference openings to estimate C _d and A for each configuration. The estimated parameters were implemented in the EnergyPlus Exterior Naturally Ventilated Cavity model and calibrated against measured roof surface temperatures and heat fluxes by tuning the convective heat transfer coefficient and buoyancy height scale. The optimal configuration was then used to simulate the summer performance of the tested tiles. Based on the calibrated simulations, the cooling potential of VPR systems was expressed through an additional conductive thermal resistance, defined for each tile configuration to quantify the reduction of incoming heat flux and external roof surface temperatures induced by air permeability effects. The results demonstrate that higher tile permeability leads to an increase of thermal resistance values, highlighting the effectiveness and applicability of VPR solutions for both building simulation and regulations.

Urban Heat Island effects and the general rise in outdoor temperatures are increasing the cooling demand in buildings. As a consequence, electrical cooling systems are becoming more common, increasing energy consumption and thus resulting in negative environmental impacts. Optimizing passive solutions that require no energy input can provide substantial benefits for building energy efficiency and urban sustainability. This study presents a research activity, financed by the EU-funded project LIFE SUPERHERO, that enhances existing roofing technologies based on passive cooling; defines an experimental method to assess their benefits in terms of energy savings; and finally evaluates their effectiveness in future climate scenarios based on greenhouse gas Representative Concentration Pathways across a set of mid-temperate/hot climate locations, also in comparison with traditional unventilated roofs. A new Climate Adaptation Efficiency Index (CAEI) was introduced to evaluate the energy efficiency potential of buildings equipped with highly ventilated and permeable clay tile roofs compared to a baseline scenario without the intervention. The results confirm the potential of ventilated and air-permeable roofs to reduce incoming heat flux and support cooling energy-efficiency planning. Indeed, CAEI values were above 20%, reaching 45–50% in hot Mediterranean and arid climates and 28–33% in cooler/temperate contexts. Under future climate scenarios, benefits further increase in the hottest Mediterranean locations, reaching up to 66%, while rising to about 44% in temperate climates, with an average increase of 10–15 percentage points, highlighting the strong potential of highly ventilated and air-permeable clay tile roofs as an effective, affordable, sustainable, and easy-to-install climate adaptation strategy.

Virtual Reality is transforming the engineering and construction sectors by enabling pre-design evaluations and training to foster informed energy decision-making. Immersive Virtual Environments (IVEs) can boost user engagement by integrating real-time information and feedback in the virtual space. This research aims to assess whether immersive training can increase users’ awareness of the consequences of their energy-related behaviours and improve energy efficiency and thermal condition. Thus, an immersive training activity was developed by integrating an IVE with the results of a real residential Building Energy Model. Fifty-two participants interacted with building systems (e.g., air conditioning, windows, and blinds) to improve thermal comfort under summer conditions. Graphical indicators and tips were updated in real time, showing the behavioural consequences of indoor air temperature and energy consumption. The findings confirmed the ecological validity of the immersive training activity. Over 90% of the participants displayed excellent knowledge acquisition, through effective and simple recommendations, which positively correlated with the number of attempts (τ > 0), highlighting the potential of increasing users’ awareness from the pre-design stages.