Racagni Primary School has been LEED® Gold certified. It is a new construction with a modern and functional appearance. From the architectural point of view, materials chosen with respect to sustainability and the recovery of alternative natural energy sources were used: the building system is made of wood, marked by a high degree of insulation of the external envelope with particular reference to the walls, roof and floor.
Windows are designed to limit energy loss. As for plant technologies, there are gas absorption thermorefrigerator units, which produce hot and chilled water to serve the air conditioning of the rooms. More as well, there are central air handling units, which guarantee salubrity of air in the different in order to also benefit the activities of the small occupants.
The lighting system is designed with high-efficiency luminaires. In all areas, lighting is controlled by DALI. For non-regularly occupied areas of the school, lighting is controlled by occupancy sensors. Particular attention has been paid to acoustic design that is essential for the proper conduct of activities inside the classrooms: the approaches and strategies used to achieve these requirements have been set from the earliest stages of design, choosing component materials for exterior walls, partitions and ceilings with an excellent sound insulation.
1. Air handling units equipped with high-efficiency heat recovery
2. Minimal contribution of refrigerants to ozone layer depletion
3. Equipment with reduced potable water flow rate
4. Use of materials with high recycled content and regional sourcing
5. Use of low VOC content materials
6. LED luminaires
7. Use of renewable energy
8. Gas absorption thermo-coolers
9. Daylight contribution
10. Energy-efficient envelope
11. Acoustic comfort
Rating system: LEED® Italia 2009 NC 2009
Certification level: 67/110 points, LEED® Gold
Below, for each category, the percentage contribution to the total certification score. Also to the side, the score achieved against the total score that can be acquired for each category.
Commissioning is an activity whose primary purpose is to ensure that buildings and facilities are designed, constructed and delivered according to the client’s requirements. The benefits of the process, if implemented on time, are:
– increases in occupant productivity
– containment of construction costs
– shorter plant commissioning times
Advanced commissioning, added to basic commissioning, involves the preparation of documentation to support subsequent plant management and the implementation of plant testing at 10 months after occupancy.
Energy model activity allows for the comparison of two models of the same building, baseline and proposed, the former built according to Ashrae 90.1 Appendix G and the latter in accordance with the project. The result is a snapshot of the building’s consumption. The comparison between the two models allow to calculate a percentage savings in energy cost.
| Architectural Project: | ViTre Studio – Società di Ingegneria – Arch. Gianluca Perrottoni |
| Electrical and special systems project: | ViTre Studio – Società di Ingegneria – Ing. Matteo Munari |
| Mechanical systems project: | ViTre Studio – Società di Ingegneria – Ing. Ivan Mattarolo |
| LEED® consulting during design and construction: | ViTre Studio – Società di Ingegneria – Ing. Matteo Munari |
| Energy Modeling: | GreeningLAB – division of Planex s.r.l. Engineering companies |
| General Contractor: | Sicrea Group |
| LEED consulting for the company: | ViTre Studio – Società di Ingegneria |
| General Works Management: | Arch. Silvano Carcelli |
| Commissioning authority: | CommissionLab – division of Planex s.r.l. Engineering companies |
Via Renzo Bocchi 33, 43100 Parma (PR)
Client: Municipality of Parma
Intended Use: Primary School
Period of construction: 2011 – 2012
Area: 6,415 sqm
U.S. Green Building Council* website:
* U.S. entity involved in the development of the LEED® certification protocol.
