Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings, the case study of the National Theatre of Rhodes, Greece and of the Zena Castle, Italy

The potential of energy saving measures in historic buildings is of great interest, due to the increased building stock in European level, the particularities in their architectural form, typology and age of construction, the energy efficient initial design and their specific use and operation. Museums, theatres, churches, as well as offices, universities and hotels, are accommodated in historic buildings. Even if historic buildings are excluded from the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2002/91/EC, the need for revitalising and reducing energy consumption in such constructions is rather a challenge towards sustainability and CO2 emissions cut. The aim of this paper is to examine the potential of energy efficiency in historic buildings and communities, presenting the particularities, barriers and challenges in this context. Recent results from an ongoing European programme titled 'SECHURBA' are assessed, highlighting the work of seven countries, in relation to sustainability prospects of historic buildings and communities. A study of an example of historic excellence such as the National Theatre of Rhodes in Greece and the Castle of Zena near Piacenza in Italy is presented. The energy audit and energy efficiency study reveal the quality of the design and construction of such buildings and underline the prospective of envelope and cooling system improvement, while revitalising their use and restoring their architectural characteristics.