Comparative analysis of energy performance in buildings in the mediterranean area (Tunisia-Italy)

The objective of this paper is to illustrate the peculiar bioclimatic characteristics of given building types and of the importance of specific building parameters in different climatic environments, with the specific objective of identifying solutions capable of improving comfort within these specific building types. The study consists in a comparative analysis between a typical building type in the city of Gadhames (Libia) and one in the central-southern area of Italy (Loreto Aprutino in the Abruzzo Region) from the point of view of bioclimatic behaviour. In fact, from the building typology point of view (geometry, distribution of spaces, dimension of walls) some analogies exist in the settlements: multilevel buildings with an internal courtyard can be found in both locations. In order to show to the fullest possible extent the differences in performance levels, given the above mentioned considerations, we took a real Libyan building and hypothesized its geometric and spatial reproduction in Italy. The "bioclimatic" performance of both buildings were evaluated by simulating their reaction to heat variables and by using climate data taken at various intervals during the day in both locations.