Silvia Cesari

XXXI Cycle - (A.A. 2015-2016)

IDAUP
Home Institution: University of Ferrara
Scholarship
Curriculum: Architecture (ICAR12)
Research Topic: Energy consumption in hospital buildings
Tutor DA-UNIFE: Roberto Di Giulio
Tutor Polis University: Llazar Kumaraku
Nationality: Italian

Email: csrslv@unife.it

Profile

Biography
Silvia is a licensed architect, PhD candidate and member of the Research Centre for Pollution Control in High Sterility Rooms (CIAS) at the University of Ferrara. After graduating cum laude in 2013 at the same University, she has worked in an integrated design firm in San Marino. Passionate about architecture, building physics and data analysis, in 2015 Silvia started her research activity as a doctoral candidate of the International PhD Programme at the University of Ferrara. Her research interests include building energy simulations, development of building analysis models, delivery of retrofit strategies and energy efficiency consultancy. As a member of the CIAS she is investigating energy consumption in medium and large complex buildings, IEQ and the related aspects like chemical exposures, bio-contamination, indoor air pollution, etc. In 2017 she was tutor of Technical Physics at the University of Ferrara. Silvia is currently a member of the Italian Society of Architectural Technology (SITdA) and since 2015 she is a Certified Passive House Designer.

Research skills
Building analysis models | Dynamic building energy simulations | Retrofit strategies | Data analysis | Energy consultancy

Scientific activities

ORCID ID:
0000-0001-5265-4258

IRIS UNIFE ID:
rp23274

Doctoral research

Forecasting and modelling energy consumption of healthcare buildings in relation to the architectural features as morphology, layout, functions of the interior spaces and the comfort needs of patients and medical staff

The main purpose of the research is to develop an analysis, forecasting and optimisation model focused on the energy consumption of hospital buildings, taking into account: the architectural features, as morphology, layout and medical functions; the typology, operating conditions and hours of air-conditioning, electrical and plumbing systems; the comfort needs of patients and of the healthcare staff. The methodological framework is based on the identification of the energy needs and consumption, from micro to macro scale, within healthcare facilities. The analysis relates to the hospital single space (micro scale), the functional area (medium scale) and the macro-area (macro scale) and includes the exclusive use of measurement data. The aim is to go beyond the energy assessment of hospital buildings that deals with the healthcare facility as it was a single element of consumption, without separating the different functional units or the patient/staff comfort and functional needs. The research approach allows: to establish a reliable energy framework comprising not only of the energy consumption related to the building envelope, but also of a wider list of parameters, including comfort and medical functions; to have parametric energy consumption in relation to the type of spaces and their use; to evaluate the changes in energy consumption related to the refurbishment or modification of existing hospitals, analysing the impact of architectural and functional features, as well as of energy goals. Understanding the elements of energy consumption of hospital departments, and being able to forecast them, may help to esteem the energy performance gap and to face the loads overestimation. These factors contribute to the loss of a huge amount of money, connected to the poor calibration of building power plants.

Keywords
Hospitals | Energy Consumption | Architectural aspects | Medical functions | Comfort