Redevelopment of an old industrial site
With the need for a larger production area, in 2017 a major redevelopment project was launched for an industrial site dating back to the 1970s, located in Agrate Conturbia (Novara), northwestern Italy.
Instead of building a new structure from scratch, Pronema’s goal was to restore the old disused facility and transform it into a modern, energy-efficient production site without consuming new land and fully respecting sustainability principles.
The first phase involved the removal of asbestos from the roofs, with the removal and disposal of about 4,000 square meters of corrugated asbestos-cement sheets. Subsequently, the roofs were rebuilt and insulated, significantly reducing thermal transmittance. This is a parameter used to define the amount of heat loss that a building’s structures are subjected to. Buildings with low thermal transmittance values in their architectural components that make up the envelope of climate-controlled areas have reduced thermal demands, as they are very well insulated and can significantly limit heat loss from the heating system designed to maintain internal climate comfort.
The perimeter walls of the buildings, originally lacking insulation systems, were also subjected to an in-depth energy assessment, which highlighted the need to reduce heat loss.
An external thermal insulation system (ETICS) was used, consisting of expanded polystyrene panels with graphite additives, 140 mm thick, certified according to the Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM). The chosen solution achieved a thermal transmittance of 0.18 W/m²K, an excellent value indicating a significant reduction in energy loss and harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
All glass window frames were replaced with modern aluminum profiles with thermal breaks, equipped with low-emissivity double glazing. These measures, along with the installation of exterior roller blinds made from micro-perforated technical fabric, reduced summer energy demand due to an excellent certified gtot value, achieved specifically by the presence of solar shading.
The entire energy retrofit also involved the building’s plant systems, with the adoption of systems powered by renewable energy sources. The old boilers were replaced with a high-efficiency air-to-air heat pump system, with a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 4.63, resulting in significant energy savings for the climate control of both the production areas (approximately 3,500 square meters) and the office spaces.
To improve indoor comfort, a controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV) system was installed, which constantly monitors air quality through sensors and adjusts it automatically, reducing energy loss due to necessary air exchange. The system is equipped with a heat recovery unit featuring a cross-flow heat exchanger. This device is capable of recovering the heat from the stale air coming from inside the building and transferring it to the incoming fresh air, which is therefore not only renewed but also preheated.
The redevelopment project transformed an old abandoned industrial site into a highly energy-efficient complex, certified as Class A3 for the office building, one step away from the highest possible level for refurbished buildings in Europe.
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