The Kyoto Rotation Fund as a policy tool for climate change mitigation: The case study of an Italian school

EU Directive n. 27/2012 on energy efficiency establishes that each year, until 2020, 3% of the surface covered by buildings owned by the Central Government shall be restructured. In Italy, the total surface to be requalified amounts to 2,5 million square meters. In Italy, the Kyoto Rotating Fund for Schools is one of incentives available to achieve the goal of energy requalification for Public Administration. The Kyoto Fund finances energy requalification of educational buildings with loans at a preferential rate of 0,25%. The aim of this paper is to identify the more suitable energy retrofit strategies, on a School located in Sicily, to achieve the requirements for the granting of subsided rate loans under the Kyoto Fund. The feasibility study considers both technical and economic aspects. In particular, the energy retrofit strategies are focused on the use of materials and products recyclable or otherwise arising from sustainable processes in order to ensure the requirements of the Kyoto Fund. The design strategies and methodology adopted for the retrofit of the school allowed to improve building's energy class from D to A4, with a considerable saving of energy needs from 104,50 kWh/m2 to 4,80 kWh/m2, with high return on reasonable short-term investment, as well as meaningful reduction of CO2 emissions (90%).