Agritourism Facilities in the Era of the Green Economy: A Combined Energy Audit and Life Cycle Assessment Approach for the Sustainable Regeneration of Rural Structures

Stefano Bigiotti (), Carlo Costantino and Alvaro Marucci
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Stefano Bigiotti: Department of Agriculture, Forests, Nature and Energy, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Carlo Costantino: Department of Agriculture, Forests, Nature and Energy, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Alvaro Marucci: Department of Agriculture, Forests, Nature and Energy, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-26

Abstract: This paper aims to investigate potential strategies to reduce energy consumption and environmental impacts of a recently converted rural complex into an agri-spa in a high environmental value area within the province of Viterbo (Italy). Actual operational data on appliances, climate, and energy consumption are employed for the energy audit. While this analysis generally provides energy-saving solutions, such options are not examined for their life cycle environmental impacts. The current article is based on the experimentation of a consolidated methodological approach in the scientific literature, integrating the energy audit, life cycle assessment (LCA), and economic analysis (Life Cycle Cost) to assess a series of energy-efficiency measures designed for the new wellness centre function. The combined use of these well-established procedures provides a comprehensive assessment of intervention scenarios for a particularly energy-intensive type of case study, not yet widely documented in the literature. The results reveal that energy consumption related to heating/cooling is marginal compared to the actual electrical consumption in the specific case study. Therefore, the most efficient scenarios involve installing photovoltaic systems and replacing gas boilers with high-efficiency heat pumps, especially with economically advantageous insulation. This leads to a 51% reduction in energy consumption and an 81% decrease in heating, DHW, and electricity costs.

Keywords: energy audit; rural building heritage; life cycle assessment; life cycle cost analysis; energy simulations; regeneration and restoration of rural structures; energy consumption; sustainable architecture; green economy; building energy performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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